A passenger wears a mask as she takes a subway in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 8, 2015. [Photo: Xinhua]

A report by the Ministry of Environmental Protection says cities in China's north experienced serious air pollution in November as heating services began for the winter.

Top the list is the city of Shenyang in Liaoning Province.

Six cities in Hebei Province, neighbouring Beijing, were among the top ten with the most polluted air.

The report reviews air quality in 74 Chinese cities.

A majority of northeastern cities suffered polluted air, while 10 of the 13 cities in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region saw heavy pollution in late November.

Meanwhile, China has issued a yellow alert for the smog in the country's north.

Sun Jun, chief forecaster of the Central Meteorological Observatory, says the smog will not last long this time.

"Light to moderate snow is expected in Northeast China on Monday, and the snow may be heavy in some parts. There will also be a mild temperature decline in those areas after the cold front. The main point is, the wind is also coming."

The public has been warned to take protective measures when engaging in outdoor activities and those that suffer from respiratory diseases are advised to stay indoors.

The smog is forecast to start easing or dispersing later on on Monday.