The blizzard hit the cities of Altay and Tacheng the hardest, with the snowfall reaching 60 centimeters and 35 centimeters respectively by early Monday morning, according to Wei Rongqing, a forecaster with the Xinjiang Meteorological Station.

The snowfall in Urumqi, the regional capital, was more than 20 centimeters by 11:00 Monday morning, the forecaster said.

Influenced by a warm and wet air current, snow began falling in the northern parts of Xinjiang on Jan. 14 and accelerated by Sunday evening due to a strong cold front that swept over the areas.

Wei said the current snowfall would add more difficulties for where local livestock could spend the winter months as most of the grazing areas have been blanketed by snow.

Temperatures in the area would drop further starting Monday and another heavy snow was expected there on Friday, Wei said.

(Xinhua News Agency January 20, 2003)