URUMQI, Feb. 24 -- Flights at airports in northwest China's Xinjiang were behind schedule because of low visibility and icy runways, airport authorities said Monday.

Urumqi International Airport in the regional capital warned passengers to check their flights before going to the airport, as runways were still closed.

Twenty-eight departure flights have been canceled and 21 incoming flights were diverted to other airports.

A snow storm hit the region on Saturday.

The airport also reported delays of 35 departure flights on Sunday.

Yining Airport in the northwest of Xinjiang was closed because of snow.

The regional observatory said snow is 6-15 cm deep in Urumqi and other northern parts of the region. Snowfall is expected to stop on Monday evening.

Air traffic in Xinjiang is a major way of linking the far western region with other parts of the country and 15 international routes with central and west Asia as well as east Europe.