Lhasa, capital of China's Tibet Autonomous Region, received its heaviest snowfall in two decades today, seen as a good omen for the upcoming Tibetan 'year of the wooden sheep'.
Lhasa residents woke up to a fairytale world this morning, as roofs, vehicles and mountaintops were all covered with a thick white blanket, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
While shop owners were busy clearing their doorsteps of snow and ice, most citizens had fun outdoors making snowballs and snowmen.
Figures released by the regional weather bureau showed Lhasa received 17.3 mm of snow today. Fallen snow measured 13 centimetres in some areas.
The snowfall broke 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 neighbouring Sichuan province.
