China extends alert against cold wave, heavy snow

BEIJING, Jan. 3 -- China's Central Meteorological Station (CMS) on Sunday morning extended the warning against strong cold wave, snowstorm and heavy fog by issuing another orange alert.

Affected by the strong cold snap, temperature was to fall by 8 to 12 degrees Celsius in central and western Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, eastern parts of northwest China, north China, Guizhou and Chongqing from Sunday to Monday, according to the CMS.

Temperature in central and western Inner Mongolia, northern parts of Shanxi and Shaanxi provinces might plunge by 14 to 16 degrees Celsius, or 16 to 18 degrees Celsius in some of these regions, it said.

Central Inner Mongolia, central and northern Hebei, Beijing, Tianjin, southern tip of Liaodong Peninsula and northern part of Shandong Peninsula would expect heavy snow Sunday while some regions in Tianjin and Hebei would experience snowstorms, the CMS forecast.

Heavy fog was expected in Sichuan, Chongqing, Yunnan and other areas.

The CMS Saturday issued an orange alert against cold wave, warning that most areas in north, central and east China would suffer temperature drops ranging from 8 to 12 degrees Celsius.