BEIJING - Heavy smog will once again hit the northern regions of China during the three-day New Year holiday, the weather observatory forecast Thursday.

As there will be no strong cold front, Hebei province and its neighboring regions will experience smog from Friday to Sunday, the National Meteorological Center (NMC) said.

East China's Jiangsu province and Shaanxi province in the northwest will also see haze.

The NMC renewed a yellow alert on Thursday for smog in these areas, advising residents to wear masks and drivers to be prepared for visibility issues.

During the holiday, temperatures will moderately increase in most parts of China.