Cold weather, strong winds to hit various parts of China

BEIJING -- Cold air will sweep China from west to east over the next four days, resulting in temperature drops and strong winds in different parts of China, the country's meteorological authority said Monday.

From Tuesday to Friday, temperatures are expected to fall by 6 to 10 degrees Celsius in vast regions of the country, with temperature drops in parts of Inner Mongolia and Northeast China to exceed 16 degrees Celsius, the National Meteorological Center said.

Inner Mongolia, Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang could see sleet, light snow, or heavy snow from Tuesday to Thursday. The accumulative snowfall in parts of these regions is forecast to reach 20 to 25 mm.

The center also forecast strong winds in parts of Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, Qinghai, Gansu, the Taiwan Strait, the Bashi Channel and the South China Sea on Monday and Tuesday, with a blue alert for heavy winds renewed at 6 am Monday.

Ships sailing in waters affected by the strong winds must pay attention to navigation safety and relevant transport authorities are advised to take necessary measures to ensure safe transportation operations, the center said.

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