BEIJING -- China's meteorological authority on Thursday issued a blue alert for severe convective weather in vast stretches of the country.

From 2 pm Thursday to 2 pm Friday, thunderstorms, gales, and hail will sweep parts of Ningxia, Inner Mongolia, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Shanxi, Hebei, Anhui, Jiangsu, Hunan, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Fujian, Sichuan, Guangdong and Taiwan, said the National Meteorological Center.

Short bursts of heavy rainfall with hourly precipitation up to 60 millimeters will lash most regions of the country, including parts of Gansu, Ningxia, Shaanxi, Inner Mongolia, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Shanxi, Hebei, Beijing, Tianjin, Shandong, Henan, Anhui and Jiangsu, the center said.

It has recommended reducing outdoor activities. Vessels operating in or transiting affected waters should return to port or detour.

The center has also suggested checking drainage systems in cities, farmlands and fishponds, and making preparations for flash floods, landslides, mudslides and other disasters.

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