Lhasa sees heaviest snow in two decades

Lhasa, capital of Southwest China's Tibet autonomous region, had its heaviest snowfall in two decades Friday, seen as a good omen for the upcoming Tibetan year of the "wooden sheep".

Lhasa residents woke up to a fairytale world Friday morning, as roofs, vehicles and mountaintops were all covered with a thick white blanket.

While shop owners were busy clearing their doorsteps of snow and ice, most citizens had fun outdoors making snowballs and snowmen.

Tashi Nyima, who rarely goes out for a walk these days because of old age and poor health, accompanied his grandson Doje to a park near the Potala Palace in the center of Lhasa. "It's been decades since I saw such a heavy snow," he said. "It's a good omen for the harvest in the new year."

Six-year-old Doje enjoyed running about on the snow, laughing at the creaking sound under his soaked shoes.

"It was difficult to clear the snow on the road," said street cleaner Nyizhoin who spent several hours clearing a street in downtown Lhasa. "We were too excited to feel tired."

Figures released by the regional weather bureau showed Lhasa received 17.3 mm of snow on Friday. Fallen snow measured 13 centimeters in some areas.

Friday's snowfall refreshed Lhasa's previous record of 17 mm, reported on March 29, 1998, according to the bureau.

Traffic authorities said the snow did not disrupt traffic in downtown Lhasa nor on the highway linking Tibet with neighboring Sichuan province.