BEIJING — Smog will linger in Beijing and nearby regions from the night of March 13 to 14, China’s national observatory forecast on March 13.

Moderate to heavy smog will be seen in central and southern parts of Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei and nearby areas, with severe smog in parts of Hebei and Tianjin, the National Meteorological Center (NMC) said.

In Beijing, authorities issued an orange alert, the second highest level, for air pollution from March 12 to 14, advising children and the elderly to stay indoors.

From March 13 night to March 14 morning, heavy fog will blanket parts of Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Liaoning, Henan, Sichuan and Shandong. Visibility could be reduced to below 500 meters in some areas.

The smog and fog will disperse gradually from March 15 morning due to rainfall and the arrival of cold air, according to the NMC.