BEIJING, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- China's National Meteorological Center on Friday renewed a blue alert for rainstorms as heavy downpours are expected to lash parts of the country.

From 8 a.m. Friday to 8 a.m. Saturday, heavy rainfall is forecast to hit parts of Jiangsu, Shanghai, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan and Heilongjiang, said the center.

Some areas of these regions may experience heavy downpours, with maximum hourly precipitation surpassing 60 millimeters, accompanied by severe convective weather, including thunderstorms and gales.

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