China issues yellow alert for cold wave

BEIJING -- China's meteorological authority on Friday issued a yellow alert for cold waves, forecasting low temperatures and gales in vast regions of the country.

From Friday to Sunday, temperatures are expected to drop by 6 to 10 degrees Celsius in some areas of North, Central, East and South China, according to the National Meteorological Center.

The forecast added that some areas could see a temperature drop of more than 14 degrees Celsius.

Snow and sleet will hit parts of north, central and south China from Friday to Sunday, with heavy rainfalls and rainstorms expected to lash some regions of south China's Hainan province, the center said.

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