BEIJING, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- China's national observatory Tuesday renewed a blue alert, the lowest level in a four-tier warning system, for a strong cold front in some eastern and central provinces.

From Tuesday night to Sunday, a cold front will hit most parts of central and eastern China, causing the temperatures to drop 6 to 8 degrees Celsius, according to the National Meteorological Center.

In some areas of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and provinces of Jilin, Liaoning and Shaanxi, temperatures will drop up to 12 degrees Celsius, it added.

Affected by the strong cold wave, strong winds will be seen in areas in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River and eastern and southern sea areas, the center said.

It also forecasts rain and snow in parts of southern provinces in the coming three days and light to moderate snow in parts of northwest China.