BEIJING, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- China's meteorological authority maintained a blue alert Tuesday as a cold front continued to sweep across many regions of the country.

From Tuesday to Friday, temperatures are expected to fall by 6 to 10 degrees Celsius in central and eastern China, including parts of Guizhou, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Qinghai and Shaanxi, the National Meteorological Center said.

Some areas will see temperature drops by up to 12 degrees Celsius accompanied by heavy winds and snow.

The center said blizzards are expected to hit parts of Anhui, Henan, Hubei, Jiangsu, Shaanxi and Zhejiang.

It advised people in affected regions to wear more and take precautions against the cold and windy weather.

Transport and police departments should take measures to clear ice on the roads, it added.

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