Cars move slowly on the Third Ring Road in Beijing, China, Jan. 3, 2010. Heavy snow hit Beijing on Sunday to close expressways, delay flights and disrupt bus services. [Xinhua]

The heaviest snow to hit North China in decades caused widespread chaos on roads and left tens of thousands of passengers stranded at airports January 3.

?China's Central Meteorological Station (CMS) on Sunday evening issued the third orange alert since the first one on Saturday, extending the warning against a strong cold wave and strong wind.

People ride electric bicycles in the street during a snowfall in Hohhot, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Jan. 3, 2010. [Xinhua]

The Chinese central government is working rapidly to cope with the climate emergency.

News:

? Temperature plummets in Xinjiang

? 2,000 passengers stranded by blizzard rescued

• Wild animals head for food after heavy snow in Xinjiang

• Alarm issued on fast developing sea ice

• At least 6 dead, millions affected by cold snap

• 4 dead, 500,000 affected in blizzard-hit Xinjiang

• 1 dead, over 5,000 evacuated in Xinjiang snowstorm

• Cold wave causes power rationing

• Cold snap seizes most parts of China

• Weather expert: Extreme cold weather in N. China caused by global warming

• Chilliest day in Beijing since '71

• Snowstorm raids Shandong

? Train restarts after 12-hour delay

? Trains stopped in their tracks

? Traffic smooth after snow storm in Beijing

? Heavy snow hits N. China, disrupting traffic, classes

? China sends agricultural experts to guide anti-disaster work

? China extends alert against cold wave, heavy snow

• Beijing sees heaviest daily snowfall

• Warm beds ready for the homeless

• HK airport flights struck by Beijing snow

• Heavy snow hits Beijing, disrupting traffic

• Beijing embraces new year's first snow