The country's meteorological authority issued on Thursday its first orange alert for freezing weather since the establishment of the warning system in 2010.
An orange alert is the second-highest level in the three-tier freeze warning system.
From Thursday through Sunday, continuous freezing rain will hit southeastern Chongqing and some provinces including areas in southern Henan, Hubei, central and northern Anhui, northern Jiangsu, central and northern Hunan, and eastern Guizhou, the National Meteorological Center said.
These areas will receive 3 to 8 millimeters of sleet, with some areas receiving more than 10 millimeters from 2 pm Thursday through 2 pm Sunday, it added.
The central government has issued a notice calling for better preparations for winter weather around the Spring Festival holiday, including heavy snow and freezing temperatures.
