BEIJING -- China's national observatory issued a yellow alert on Thursday, warning of downpours in some regions of the country.

From 14:00 pm Thursday to 14:00 pm Friday, heavy rains and rainstorms are forecast to hit parts of the provincial-level regions of Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Taiwan island, Yunnan, Guizhou, Chongqing, Sichuan, Hubei, Shaanxi, Inner Mongolia, Hebei and Beijing, the National Meteorological Center said.

Parts of Guangdong and Fujian are expected to experience torrential rains, with precipitation up to 300 mm, the center added.

Some of the aforementioned regions will experience short-term heavy rainfall, with hourly precipitation reaching 80 mm or more, accompanied by thunderstorms and gales.

The center has advised local authorities to take precautions for heavy rainstorms, and suggested that necessary drainage measures should be taken in urban areas and across farmlands.

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