BEIJING, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- China's meteorological authority on Wednesday issued a yellow alert for a cold wave, as a strong cold front has been sweeping across most parts of central and eastern China.

From Wednesday to Thursday, temperatures in most southern parts of China are expected to drop by up to 12 degrees Celsius, said the National Meteorological Center (NMC).

The cold wave will bring gales to the aforementioned regions, parts of north China and areas along the Yangtze River and Huai River, according to the NMC.

The center advised the public to take precautions against the cold weather and strong winds.

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