China's meteorological authority issued yellow alerts for blizzards and cold waves on Tuesday, forecasting continued snowstorms and sharp temperature drops in some parts of the country.

The National Meteorological Center said that from 2 p.m. on Tuesday to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, heavy snowstorms will hit parts of China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and the provinces of Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Shandong, adding that some areas are expecting increased snow depth of over 15 centimeters.

Meanwhile, the center forecasts that cold waves will hit most parts of northeast China and some areas of the Shandong, Zhejiang and Fujian provinces from 2 p.m. on Tuesday to 8 a.m. on Thursday.

Temperatures in the Heilongjiang, Jilin and Liaoning provinces in northeast China are expected to plunge by 12 to 16 degrees Celsius.

The center has advised pedestrians and drivers to be extra careful during the snowy weather and urged the local authorities to strengthen the inspection and maintenance of roads, railways, electricity and telecommunications facilities. It also called for measures to protect livestock, poultry and crops against the cold.

China has a four-tier color-coded weather warning system, with red representing the most severe weather, followed by orange, yellow and blue.

(Cover: The Saint Sophia Cathedral in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, northeast China, November 26, 2024. /CFP)