BEIJING -- China's national observatory renewed a blue alert for sandstorms on Wednesday.

From 8 am Wednesday to 8 am Thursday, floating sand and dust are expected to sweep parts of Xinjiang, Gansu, Qinghai, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Shaanxi and Shanxi, the National Meteorological Center forecast.

Some parts of Gansu and Inner Mongolia will be hit by sandstorms, the center said.

The center has advised the public to take precautions against floating sand and dust, and suggested that drivers prepare for poor visibility.

China has a four-tier color-coded weather warning system for sandstorms, with red representing the most severe, followed by orange, yellow and blue.