China on blizzard alert

A citizen walks in snow in Penglai City, east China's Shandong Province, Feb. 4, 2014. A snowfall hit the city on the day of "Lichun", literally meaning the beginning of the spring according to the traditional Chinese calendar, which falls on Feb. 4 this year. (Xinhua/Yu Liangyi)

China's meteorological authority on Tuesday issued a blue alert for blizzards that will sweep through northern and eastern regions.

From Tuesday evening to Wednesday evening, heavy snow will hit Shaanxi, Shanxi, Henan, Shandong, Anhui and Jiangsu provinces, with some regions receiving 5 to 15 cm, the National Meteorological Center said.

The blizzard follows a cold front that has hit the above areas and brought the temperature down by as much as 18 degrees Celsius, said the center.

China's meteorological disaster alerts are categorized as blue, yellow, orange and red as the severity of disasters ascends.8 The center also warned that snow may disrupt travel, coming at a time when people are heading back to work after Spring Festival, a traditional holiday for family reunions.