Xu Ning, a 31-year-old bank clerk in Beijing, said she was late for work on Wednesday, because the traffic moved "at a snail's pace".

"I saw several rear-end collisions on my way to work, a commute that took about 40 minutes longer than usual," Xu said.

A worker removes snow in a street in Beijing on Dec 12, 2012. [Photo/Xinhua]

Xu said she will go to work earlier on Thursday and Friday to avoid the traffic jams.

Central and East China are also likely to see snowfall until Friday, the National Meteorological Administration said.

From next week, a strong cold snap will pass through the country, bringing moderate to heavy snows and gales. Temperatures are expected to drop by up to 12 C in a large part of North China, the administration said on Wednesday.

Contact the writers at wangqian@chinadaily.com.cn and jinhaixing@chinadaily.com.cn