BEIJING -- China's meteorological authorities on Saturday renewed blue alerts for cold waves and strong winds, with sharp drops in temperature and powerful winds expected to hit parts of the country in the coming days.

From Saturday to Thursday, temperatures in most parts of China will fall by six to 10 degrees Celsius, according to the National Meteorological Center.

Some places in the northwestern, northern and northeastern parts of China are expected to experience temperature drops between 12 and 14 degrees Celsius, with some areas up to 16 degrees Celsius.

The National Meteorological Center also renewed a blue alert for strong winds, saying that from 8 am Saturday to 8 am Sunday, powerful winds are expected to hit some areas in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, Inner Mongolia autonomous region, Xizang Autonomous Region, the provinces of Qinghai and Gansu, Ningxia Hui autonomous region, the Taiwan Strait, the sea area off the east of Taiwan, and parts of the South China Sea.

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