China meteorological authority renews orange alert for strong gales

China's meteorological authority renewed an orange alert on Saturday for strong gales expected to sweep across the northern regions and coastal areas over the weekend.

The National Meteorological Center said that from 8 am Saturday to 8am Sunday, winds of up to force 13 (37.0-41.4 m/s) on the national wind scale will hit parts of Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Hebei, and Beijing.

Meanwhile, parts of the Bohai Sea, the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea will also experience gales up to force 13, the NMC said.

A yellow alert for snowstorms was also renewed, with forecasts predicting snowfall of 20 to 28 millimeters in parts of Inner Mongolia and Jilin.

The meteorological center also continued to issue a blue alert for sandstorms that will hit Xinjiang.

The NMC has advised the public in affected regions to take all necessary precautions.

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