BEIJING, Feb 1 (Reuters) - Beijing, struggling to control air pollution before the Olympic Games later this year, saw 22 "blue sky days" in January, its best record in a single month since 2000, state media said on Friday.

The Chinese capital's notorious pollution is a major concern for athletes and organisers of the Games that open on Aug. 8.

While much of central and southern China is suffering its worst snowfall in half a century, Beijing has remained cold but clear with sometimes brilliant blue skies.

January's 22 days "was the best run of clear days since the year 2000", the official Xinhua news agency said.

"Beijing Environment Protection Administration authorities said that persistent cold air was the major factor that kept the air clear, since updrafts and northerly winds helped disperse pollutants," it added.

"Another factor was the closure of more heavily-polluting industrial facilities in or near the capital," the report added.

The city only just met its target of 245 "blue sky days" in 2007, and has set a more ambitious target of at least 256 days with relatively good air quality in 2008.

Beijing's standard for a "blue sky day" has not been widely recognised by international scientists, and the air can appear smoggy even when officially it is a "blue sky day".

Olympic chief Jacques Rogge has said some events may have to be rescheduled if Beijing's air quality is not good enough. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Katie Nguyen)

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