The National Meteorological Center issued yellow alerts, the third severest in the four-tier warning system, for both a cold wave and snowstorms across much of China, days before the Spring Festival holiday.

The cold wave is expected to cause temperatures to plummet by between 8 C and 14 C across large parts of the country from Friday to Monday, and unseasonably low temperatures are likely to shift as far south as northern Yunnan province by Chinese New Year's Eve, which falls on Tuesday, the center said.

Meanwhile, heavy snow is forecast in parts of Northwest China and portions of Hubei province from Friday to Saturday, with some areas in Shaanxi province and Henan province to see snowstorms with depths reaching up to 2.2 centimeters. Snow accumulation in some regions is expected to total 3-8 cm, posing risks for transportation and infrastructure, it added.

Zhang Xiaoling, an official at the center, said that during the Spring Festival holiday from Tuesday to Feb 4 northwestern and northern regions in the country are expected to experience below-average temperatures, and in parts of North China, temperatures will drop below — 16 C on Chinese New Year's Eve.

Snowfall is forecast for Northeast China on Tuesday and Wednesday. Widespread rain and snow events will affect some northwestern and southern regions from Jan 31 to Feb 2, bringing light to moderate precipitation, including rain and snow, Zhang said at a news conference on Friday.

She added that sunny to partly cloudy skies will be seen across most of central and southern China on Chinese New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, but another cold front will sweep through eastern and southern regions from Feb 1 to 3.

In February, the center predicts colder-than-normal temperatures in parts of Northwest and Southwest China, and the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, while northeastern and northern areas will be warmer than average.

Precipitation in eastern China will be largely below normal next month, particularly in areas including Zhejiang and Fujian provinces where rainfall is anticipated to be 50 to 80 percent less than average.

Jia Xiaolong, deputy head of the National Climate Center, said that from mid-December to Thursday, cumulative precipitation in eastern, central and southern China was more than 80 percent below the average for the same period.

"The unusually low precipitation has led to the development of drought-like conditions in southern regions," Jia said, adding that moderate to severe drought conditions currently affect most areas of southern parts of China.

Meanwhile, except for areas such as the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, Xinjiang and Heilongjiang province, many parts of North China recorded no snowfall so far this month as of Thursday, he said.

Measures to mitigate the impact of persistent drought are encouraged, including fire prevention and agricultural support.

As the holiday approaches, authorities are urging the public to prepare for the cold wave, heavy snowfalls and travel disruptions. Enhanced safety measures are being recommended for transportation, heating and outdoor activities to ensure a safe and warm Spring Festival.

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