BEIJING, April 14 -- China's meteorological authority on Sunday renewed a blue alert for severe convection weather, forecasting thunderstorms, gales and hail as well as heavy downpours in large parts of the country.

From Sunday morning to Monday morning, thunderstorms, gales and hail will sweep parts of Hebei, Henan, Anhui, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Zhejiang and Guizhou, according to the National Meteorological Center (NMC).

Intense heavy rainfall, with hourly precipitation ranging from 20 mm to over 40 mm, will lash parts of Inner Mongolia, Hebei, Shandong, Jiangsu, Hubei, Jiangxi, Zhejiang and Fujian, the center said.

The center also renewed a blue alert for sandstorms in some parts of north China from Sunday to Monday.

China has a three-tier color-coded weather warning system for severe convection weather and sandstorms, with orange representing the most severe warning, followed by yellow and blue.