China renews orange alert for cold wave

BEIJING -- China's meteorological authority on Monday renewed an orange alert for a cold wave, forecasting big temperature drops, winds, sandstorms, rains, and snow in vast regions of the country.

From Monday to Wednesday, temperatures are expected to plunge by 10 to 16 degrees Celsius in most of central and eastern China, according to the National Meteorological Center.

Sandstorms are expected to hit areas in the north and northwest, said the center.

Some areas of Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Jilin, Shandong, Jiangsu, Guizhou, and Hunan could see temperatures drop by over 16 degrees Celsius, according to the center.

The center warned against the cold wave's impact on agriculture and advised the public to take precautions against the temperature change and the winds.

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