BEIJING, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Beijing Meteorological Observatory issued a blue alert for snowstorm at 6 p.m. on Thursday.
It is forecast that snowfall will hit the mountainous areas to the west of Beijing in the early hours of Friday morning and extend to urban districts during the daytime.
The main snowfall period is expected to last from noon to the night. The cumulative snowfall in most parts of the city will likely exceed 4 millimeters, while mountainous areas in Fangshan and Mentougou districts could see up to 8 millimeters.
The observatory also issued an orange alert for road icing.
The city's meteorological authorities have warned that snowfall will make roads slippery and reduce visibility, adversely affecting traffic.
China has a four-tier color-coded weather warning system, with red representing the most severe warning, followed by orange, yellow and blue. ■
