BEIJING — China's meteorological authority on Nov 18 issued an orange alert for blizzards in several provinces and advised residents to avoid unnecessary outdoor activities.

Snowstorms will hit parts of Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning and Hebei provinces and the Inner Mongolia autonomous region from the morning of Nov 18 to Nov 19 morning, according to the National Meteorological Center.

Authorities should strengthen inspection and maintenance of roads, railways, power and communications lines and work to ensure that public transport not be disrupted by blizzards, the center said.

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