BEIJING -- China's national observatory on Monday issued a blue alert for sandstorms in the northern part of the country.

From Monday morning to Tuesday morning, floating sand and dust are expected to hit parts of Xinjiang, Qinghai, Gansu, Ningxia, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei and Shandong, the National Meteorological Center said.

Some regions in Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia will see sandstorms, the center forecast.

The center advised the public to take precautions against the strong winds and sandstorms.

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