>Beijing (CNS) -- This winter`s first snowfall in northern China continued from Saturday night into Sunday, causing highway closures and delayed flights.

The heavy snow felled numerous trees in Beijing and disrupted road traffic. The local meteorological office issued a red alert, the highest, against the blizzard on Sunday morning.

Snow also hit parts of Hebei Province, Shanxi Province and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, causing the National Meteorological Center to hike the alert to the second-highest level for snowstorms.

Many highways in those areas above have been closed off partly or completely, according to the Ministry of Transport.

As of 6:30 p.m. Sunday, 14 flights had been delayed at the Beijing Capital International Airport for more than an hour. Thirty-eight flights were cancelled.