Based on the winter precipitation data from 20 weather stations, the conventional observation data and the new generation weather radar (CINRAD/SA) data in Beijing from 2001 to 2018, the climate, the circulation situations and the radar echo characteristics of 16 snowstorm events are analyzed. The results indicate that there are four circulation patterns for snowstorms in Beijing: low vortex and low trough, surface inverse trough, transversal trough, and circumfluence. The snowstorms in Beijing can be generally divided into the mixed type and the stratiform cloud type according to the echo type, in which the mixed type accounts for the majority, with a sliceflocculent echo shape, a maximum reflectivity factor of greater than 35 dBz and an echo top height of greater than 4 km. In the radial velocity field, there exists a bulleye structure in most of snowstorm events in Beijing, all of which are boundary layer lowlevel jets. The existence of the lowlevel jets is very important for the generation and maintenance of snowstorms. The results can be used as a reference for operational forecasting of winter snowstorms.