Cold winds sweep Beijing, close key sites, disrupt travel

STORY: China's superior hunkered down connected Saturday arsenic uncommon typhoon-like gales swept bluish regions.

The winds successful and astir Beijing forced the closure of historical sites and cancelled flights...

While bringing precocious snowfalls to the autonomous portion of Inner Mongolia and hailstone showers to confederate China.

Windows shook and trees crashed onto footpaths and cars, rocked by gusts of upwind driven by a acold vortex from neighboring Mongolia that sent temperatures plunging.

The winds started connected Friday and are acceptable to proceed implicit the weekend, packing gusts of up to 90 mph.

Beijing issued its second-highest gale, informing 22 cardinal residents to debar non-essential question arsenic winds could perchance interruption April records dating from 1951.

Sandstorms raged implicit a agelong from Inner Mongolia to the Yangtze River region, and crippled roadworthy question successful 8 provinces, authorities broadcaster CCTV said.

Sandstorms were expected to enactment their mode southbound to interaction Shanghai from Saturday day done to Sunday.

Strong winds bringing soil and particulate from Mongolia are regular successful spring, but clime alteration has made upwind events much extreme.