Beijing, Nov 7 (IANS): Snowfall has continued to lash the Chinese capital of Beijing since the last 24 hours, affecting road traffic in the region, weather authorities said on Sunday.

A large part of the city received snowfall from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday following rainfall earlier during the day, reports Xinhua news agency.

The snow is expected to last till Sunday noon or afternoon, said Guo Jinlan, chief forecaster of the Beijing meteorological centre.

The snowfall may reach 6 mm to 12 mm in the city proper and the southern area, with the accumulated snow reaching up to 10 cm, said Guo, adding that the temperature will drop drastically accompanied by strong winds.

As of 8.30 a.m. Sunday, more than 164 bus routes have been suspended, and many sections of multiple expressways have been closed, according to traffic authorities.

The city has issued yellow alerts for cold waves, strong winds, icy roads, as well as snowstorms.

China has a four-tier colour-coded weather warning system, with red representing the most severe, followed by orange, yellow and blue.