A potent cold front is sweeping across central and eastern China, causing a sharp temperature drop of 4 to 8 C from Monday to Tuesday, with some northern areas experiencing declines of up to 10 to 12 C, the national meteorological administration said.

The cold air mass, accompanied by strong northerly winds of 13.9 meters per second, is expected to bring gusts reaching 20.8 m/s in some regions. Northern areas will see light to moderate snow, while parts of eastern Xizang autonomous region and western Sichuan province could experience heavy snowfall.

On Monday morning, the administration renewed a blue warning for high winds, the lowest in a four-tier warning system, for vast stretches of the country through Tuesday morning. It also issued warnings for gales over several bodies of water, including the Bohai Sea and the Yellow Sea, where gusts could reach 28.5 m/s.

A second, more intense cold front will follow from Tuesday to Thursday, impacting most of China with similar temperature drops and wind conditions. This cold front is forecast to bring more snowfall, including heavy snow to blizzard conditions in parts of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region and Northeast China.

Meteorologists warn of frequent cold air activity throughout the week and advise the public to dress warmly, take precautions against wind and cold, and avoid temporary structures in high-wind areas.