Northern China suffers travel chaos as snowstorms strike

A FREEZING front swept over much of northern China yesterday with snowstorms snarling new year traffic and air travel, and some of the lowest temperatures in decades are forecast for the next few days.

Snowstorms were expected to continue today and the mercury was set to plunge in the next 48 hours when China returns to work following a three-day new year holiday, the Beijing meteorological station said.

Gale force winds could result in temperatures as low as -16C in the capital today and tomorrow.