Blue alert as cold wave grips country

China's meteorological authority renewed a blue alert for a cold wave on Thursday as freezing air is set to sweep across most parts of the country in the coming days.

The first cold wave of the year hit central and eastern China on Thursday, sending temperatures plummeting by more than 10 C in some northern areas and bringing winds measuring 9 to 10 on the Beaufort scale, according to the China Meteorological Administration.

The National Meteorological Center issued a blue cold wave warning, predicting temperature drops of 6 to 8 C in most areas north of the Yellow River-Huaihe River line, with some regions in eastern Northwest China, North China and the Yellow River-Huaihe River region experiencing drops of more than 10 C.