Doha: China’s Meteorological Center issued an orange alert on Saturday as the country braces for a wave of severe storms expected to sweep through northern and coastal regions over the weekend.

According to Qatar News Agency, the center’s statement indicated that wind speeds are expected to reach between 37.0 and 41.4 meters per second, equivalent to level 13 on China’s wind scale, starting Friday morning through Saturday. This will impact areas such as Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Hebei, and the capital, Beijing.

Strong winds of similar intensity are also forecast for parts of the Bohai Sea, Yellow Sea, and East China Sea. The center also reissued a yellow warning for snowstorms, with snowfall expected to range between 20 and 28 mm in parts of Inner Mongolia and Jilin Province.

Additionally, a blue alert was issued for expected sandstorms in the Xinjiang region, with authorities urging residents in affected areas to take necessary precautions. China uses a four-tier, color-coded weather warning system, with red representing the most severe level, followed by orange, yellow, and blue.