Blue alert issued for snow in North China

BEIJING -- Some areas in northern China are likely to see heavy snow or blizzard, as the country's national observatory issued a blue alert on Sunday.

Some parts of Inner Mongolia, Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei are forecast to embrace heavy snow between 8:00 am Sunday and 8:00 am Monday, according to the National Meteorological Center (NMC).

Some parts of Beijing and Hebei are predicted to see a blizzard during the period, said the NMC.

The public in these regions have been advised to stay indoors, and warned to take protective and emergency measures against snow and frost.

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

From Sunday to Thursday, temperatures in most parts of central and eastern China are forecast to decline by 6 to 10 degrees Celsius, the NMC said Saturday.