BEIJING - China's national weather observatory on Thursday issued a blue alert for a cold front that will bring low temperatures and strong wind to northern, central and eastern regions.

From Thursday night, temperatures in these areas could drop up to 14 degrees Celsius, with Inner Mongolia, the northeast region and places south of the Yangtze River to be effected particularly, said the National Meteorological Center (NMC).

The cold air will move south in the next three days, bringing strong wind, rain as well as snow to regions along the Yangtze River and the northeast, the NMC said.

The center reminded people in the affected regions to take precautions against the wind and the low temperatures.

China has a four-tier warning system for severe weather, with red being the most serious, followed by orange, yellow and blue.