BEIJING — China's meteorological authority on Dec 12 renewed a yellow alert for fog in northern and eastern provinces.

Fog will shroud parts of Hebei, Tianjin, Shandong, Anhui, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Hubei and Hunan, reducing visibility to less than 200 meters, the National Meteorological Center said in a statement on its website.

Due to low visibility, drivers are advised to maintain safe distance and control speed, while airports, expressways, piers should take precautionary measures to ensure transport safety, the center said.

Also on Dec 12, the center renewed a blue alert for cold waves in 17 provincial-level regions, advising residents to take shelter from the wind and keep warm.

Parts of Inner Mongolia, Shaanxi, Hunan, Guizhou and Guangxi will see temperatures fall by up to 10 degrees Celsius over the next three days.

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