China's National Meteorological Center (NMC) on Friday renewed alerts for rainstorms and strong winds in parts of the country.

From 8 a.m. Friday to 8 a.m. Saturday, heavy rains are forecast for parts of Chongqing, Hubei, Henan, Shandong, Anhui, Jiangsu, Hunan and Guizhou, the center said.

Some areas could experience hourly precipitation exceeding 50 millimeters, accompanied by thunderstorms and gales. Local governments have been urged to take appropriate precautions and fulfill their related responsibilities.

The NMC also renewed a blue alert for strong winds, warning that from 8 a.m. Friday to 8 a.m. Saturday, strong winds are expected in parts of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, and the provinces of Qinghai, Liaoning, Shandong, Henan, Anhui, Jiangsu and Sichuan.

Gales are also expected to sweep parts of the Bohai Sea, the Yellow Sea, the Taiwan Strait, the Bashi Channel and the South China Sea during the same period, according to the NMC.

The NMC reminded all ships and personnel navigating or operating in affected sea areas to promptly return to ports for safety. Relevant departments have been called upon to prevent fires in forests, grasslands and urban areas, and to ensure transport safety.

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