BEIJING, Feb. 22 -- China's weather observatory on Sunday issued a heavy snowstorm blue alert for the country's northeast regions.

The National Meteorological Center (NMC) forecast snowstorms will hit northeastern provinces on Sunday and Monday, with up to 20 millimeters of snow expected in Heilongjiang Province.

Parts of Heilongjiang will see blizzards and strong winds and icy road conditions.

The NMC advised residents to stay indoors and asked local authorities to be prepared.

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