When Beijing residents took to the streets for another busy week Monday morning, they were happy to find the city was embracing a sudden snow, which brought them with fresh air.

The snow started around six o'clock in the morning and didn't create slippy road due to relatively high ground surface temperature.

According to estimates by local meteorologists, the snowfall in downtown Beijing reached about one millimeter during the two hours from 6 am to 8 am.

They believe the snow is of help to the growth of agricultural plants and the prevention of spring sandstorm.

(Xinhua News Agency March 10, 2003)