BEIJING -- China's meteorological authority on Tuesday maintained yellow alerts for blizzards and cold waves, forecasting continued snowstorms and sharp temperature drops in some parts of the country.

From 2 pm Tuesday to 2 pm Wednesday, heavy snowstorms will hit parts of Inner Mongolia, Heilongjiang, Jilin and Shandong, the National Meteorological Center said, adding that some areas are expecting a newly increased snow depth of over 15 centimeters.

Meanwhile, the center forecasts that cold waves will hit most parts of Northeast China and some areas of Shandong, Zhejiang and Fujian provinces from 2 pm on Tuesday to 8 am Thursday.

Temperatures in Heilongjiang, Jilin and Liaoning provinces in Northeast China are expected to plunge by 12 to 16 degrees Celsius.

The center has advised pedestrians and drivers to be extra careful during the snowy weather and urged local authorities to strengthen inspection and maintenance of roads, railways, electricity and telecommunications facilities. It also called for measures to protect livestock, poultry and crops against the cold.

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