Spring snow blankets Beijing

People enjoy the scenery of a corner tower of the Fobidden City after a snow on Sunday morning in Beijing, March 18, 2012. [Photo/Xinhua]

BEIJING -- The Chinese capital was blanketed by spring snow on Sunday morning, after a day of heavy fog that has grounded hundreds of flights in the country's north.

Rain began to hit Beijing Saturday evening and later turned into snow. As of 6 am Sunday, snow has accumulated to as deep as eight centimeters in parts of the city.

Light snow continued Sunday morning but the National Meteorological Center said on its website that it would stop later in the day.

Hundreds of flights were canceled Saturday at the Beijing Capital International Airport as dense fog reduced visibility. The airport said early Sunday that the snow would continue to affect flights.

On Saturday, airports in Tianjin, Shijiazhuang, Zhengzhou in North China were all enveloped in dense fog, with the visibility in Tianjin's airport less than 50 meters.

Trees and cars are blanketed by snow in Beijing, March 18, 2012. [Photo/CFP]