China removes storm alert as rainfall eases

BEIJING - Chinese meteorological authorities removed a blue rainstorm alert Saturday morning as heavy rainfall eased after sweeping most parts of central and east China on Friday.

The National Meteorological Center (NMC) said it expected rainfall to weaken on Saturday in China's central and eastern regions. On Friday, thunderstorms swept across the southern regions, especially Guangdong province and Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.

Only parts of Hainan, Taiwan, Shandong and Liaoning will see rain or even downpour on Saturday, said the NMC.

But the NMC warned that there would be another round of rainfall between next Tuesday and Wednesday with thunderstorms, high winds or even hailstorms in some regions.

The NMC also forecasted that the northwestern regions would be influenced by a strong cold current and witness a temperature drop of 4 to 8 degrees Celsius between Saturday and next Tuesday. In some parts, there would be high winds and sandstorms, it said.