BEIJING - A cold wave will hit northern parts of China over the next two days with temperatures likely to drop 6 to 12 degrees Celsius, said the National Meteorological Center (NMC) Friday.

Cold northerly winds from Siberia will sweep Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, north Qinghai province, Ningxia Hui autonomous region, north Shaanxi province, and most parts of Gansu province and Inner Mongolia autonomous region.

Heavy snow or snowstorms are expected for Tacheng, Altay, the Yili River Valley and northern area along the Tianshan Mountains in Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

The NMC issued a blue alert Friday morning, the least serious level in China's four-color weather warning system after red, orange and yellow.