China issues blue alert for cold wave

BEIJING -- China's meteorological authority on Tuesday renewed its blue alert for a cold wave, forecasting big temperature drops and gales across large areas of the country.

From Tuesday to Thursday, temperatures are expected to plunge by 6 to 10 degrees Celsius in parts of southern China, according to the National Meteorological Center.

Some parts of Hunan, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Guizhou and Fujian could see temperatures slashed by over 18 degrees Celsius, according to the center.

Gales are expected to hit the Bohai Strait, most areas of the Yellow Sea and the northwestern part of the East China Sea.

The center advised the public to take necessary precautions against the temperature change and suggested that makeshift and tall structures should be reinforced against strong winds.

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