Blizzard warnings up in China

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BEIJING, Nov. 4 (UPI) -- Parts of China were under the country's second-highest storm warning status Sunday, with blizzards and 15 inches of snow forecast by state meteorologists.

Warnings were posted in Beijing, central and eastern parts of Inner Mongolia and northern and western parts of Hebei Province, the state-run Xinhua news agency said.

The National Meteorological Center warned of heavy rain, sleet and snow in most of northern China.

Forecasters also warned of a cold front sweeping through in eastern Inner Mongolia that would bring gales, Xinhua said.

At 6.a.m., the Ministry of Transport announced the closure of highways in Beijing and throughout the snowstorm warning area after snow and sleet began falling Saturday night.

This year, the district of Yanqing in Beijing has experienced its heaviest snowfall since 1960, officials said.