BEIJING, Sept. 23 -- China's National Meteorological Center on Saturday issued a blue alert for rainstorms, as heavy downpours are expected to lash parts of the country.

From 8 a.m. Saturday to 8 a.m. Sunday, heavy rains are forecast to hit parts of Sichuan, Chongqing, Guizhou, Hubei and Henan, the center said.

Some parts of these regions may witness maximum hourly precipitation surpassing 50 millimeters, accompanied by severe convective weather conditions such as thunderstorms and gales.

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