The Beijing weather office yesterday warned motorists of icy roads
after the first snow this year blanketed the capital city.
Public transport services on five suburban routes were suspended
because of the snow but there were no major traffic snarl-ups
despite slippery road conditions.
Flights operated normally at Beijing Capital International
Airport, according to its information center.
The city has experienced colder weather since January 9 although
temperatures were higher than average since December, Xinhua
reported.
Apart from Beijing, the northern and central parts of the
country, such as Hebei, Henan and Hubei provinces, were also hit by
snow.
But the Central Meteorological Observatory said the snow would
stop in northern cities today. Fog and haze cover the Yellow River
and Huaihe River valleys, according to the observatory.
In Wuhan, capital of Hubei, several water pipes burst in the
morning because of freezing weather, leading to suspension of water
supply to more than 10,000 residents.
(China Daily January 18, 2008)