Beijing snowfall brings trouble to airport and road traffic

The third round of snow this winter has arrived in Beijing, adding romance to Valentine's Day while affecting traffic and causing 93 flights to be canceled till 9 am, according to a statement from Beijing Capital International Airport.

In total, 190 flights will be canceled or rescheduled on Thursday due to the ongoing snow at the airport, Beijing News reported.

According to the city's meteorological bureau, the snow started at 5 am and will last till 10 pm.

The suburban areas, especially those in mountainous regions like Changping and Yanqing, will see small to moderate snow, more than the amount in the urban districts. In Yanqing, mountains and buildings have been covered with thick snow.

This was the third snowfall this winter in Beijing, following a light dusting on Feb 6 and a bigger one on Tuesday.

On Thursday morning, the bureau issued a yellow alert due to icy road conditions, saying that low temperatures and snowfall may cause ice to form on roadways and the public should therefore exercise caution.

The yellow alert is the lowest level in the three-tiered warning system comprised of yellow, orange and red.

Up to 18 bus lines were suspended in the city, according to the Beijing Bus Group.