BEIJING - Chinese meteorological authorities said Sunday afternoon that strong winds and sandstorms will hit northern parts of China over the next 24 hours.

At 6 pm, the National Meteorological Center (NMC) issued a sandstorm blue alert, the lowest level, saying that sandy weather will occur in parts of Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, Inner Mongolia autonomous region, Ningxia Hui autonomous region and the provinces of Gansu, Shaanxi and Shanxi.

The authorities warned residents in the country's north to be on guard against the conditions, urging slow driving to ensure safety on the roads.

Meanwhile, the NMC issued a yellow alert, the second-lowest level, for offshore gales. Northerly winds will swirl in the Bohai Sea, the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea, according to the NMC.

Experts suggested vessels return to harbor to avoid risks.

They also said the dry air in the country's northern regions would increase fire risks over the next three days.