BEIJING, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- China's meteorological authority on Wednesday renewed a blue alert for heavy snow in certain regions of the country.
From Wednesday morning to Thursday morning, snowstorms will hit parts of Shaanxi, Shanxi, Hebei, Henan, Shandong, and Jiangsu, with the snowfall expected to reach 2 cm to 5 cm, the National Meteorological Center said.
The meteorological center advised authorities to take note of the influence of extensive rain, snow and freezing weather on the ongoing Spring Festival travel rush, also known as "chunyun," which will see hundreds of millions of people return home to reunite with their friends and families.
It has advised pedestrians and drivers to be extra careful during the snowy weather, and urged local authorities to take precautions with regard to roads, railways, electricity and telecommunications.
China has a four-tier, color-coded weather warning system, with red representing the most severe weather, followed by orange, yellow and blue. ■