Kunming, known as China's "city of spring" for its warm and green winter, turned white Saturday as itwas surprisingly hit by this winter's very first snowfall.

The snow started in the capital of the southwestern China province of Yunnan at dawn and was continuing by press time, when fallen snow on some public green along the city streets was already five centimeters thick.

Civil aviation officials said no flight had been canceled at the Kunming International Airport because of the snow.

Railway and road transportation was normal, though downtown Kunming streets were quieter than usual, said sources with the local transportation authority.

Most citizens were happy at the snow. Many people got up early to enjoy the scenery in streets, and children had a good time making snowmen and throwing snowballs.

The snow was a result of a northward warm current from the Bengal Bay that had met the cold front from the north, said Duan Xu, head of the Yunnan Provincial Meteorological Station.

He said most parts of the province would be hit by snow Saturday but it would turn sunny again on Sunday.

The meteorological expert said the snowfall was conducive to relieving winter crops of drought, as the province had had many dry, warm winters over the past decade.

Kunming was hit with heavy snowfall in January 2000, when fallen snow in some streets reached 20 centimeters thick, forcing the city authorities to close its international airport and interprovincial expressways for nearly a day.

(Xinhua News Agency  February 7, 2004)