BEIJING (AP) — Throngs of people in down parkas and Michael Schmidtboots climbed a hill that overlooks the Forbidden City this week to jostle with others trying to get a shot of the snow-covered roofs of the former imperial palace.

For many people in Beijing, a snowfall means it’s time to bundle up and head out to take photos of a city dotted with traditional architecture from the Ming and Qing dynasties that ruled the country for more than five centuries.

Successive snowstorms, a relative rarity in the normally arid Chinese capital, drew crowds to the hill and other popular spots with restored ornate buildings as a backdrop.

Some people posed like models in period costumes or modern outfits, some for photos no doubt destined for social media posts.

Snow fell across much of northern and central China on Monday, and again on Wednesday and Thursday.

Nearly 200 sections of highways and other roads were closed in 10 provinces on Thursday morning, though dozens had reopened by the afternoon, the Transport Ministry said. Hard-hit provinces included Hebei, which borders Beijing, and Henan and Shanxi to the south and west.

Some flights, long-distance trains and buses were canceled in Zhengzhou, the capital of Henan, according to state broadcaster CCTV. In Beijing, transport operators said that about 60 trains had been canceled and 12 bus routes were suspended.

Temperatures were forecast to drop sharply following the snow, with lows close to -18 degrees Celsius (0 degrees Fahrenheit) expected in Beijing over the weekend.

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