Xinjiang hit by first spring snowfall in 50 years
新疆遇50年来首场春雪
A major snowfall has hit Hami prefecture in China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.
中国新疆维吾尔自治区的哈密市迎来一场主要降雪。
This is the first time in 50 years that the prefecture has seen snow in April.
这是50年来该地区首次于4月份降雪。
It started to fall early Friday morning and lasted to sunrise.
这场雪从周五一早开始一直持续到太阳升起。
Temperatures fell dramatically from the previous day-time high of 20 degrees Celsius to below zero.
而温度从前一天白天的20摄氏度急转直下下降至零下温度。
And locals struggled to adapt, with traffic inside the city of Kumul brought to a near stand-still.
由于降雪造成哈密市内交通几近瘫痪，当地居民一时难以适应。
State highways were also put under traffic control, and flights were delayed or cancelled.
这个地区的国道已进入交通管制，而且各大航班纷纷被推迟或取消。
But on the bright side, the snow has helped offer some relief from the drought currently hitting Hami prefecture.
但利好消息是，这场降雪帮忙缓解了该地区当前正在遭受的旱灾。