REFILE-China warns heavy snow may sweep west to east

(Fixes headline to make clear snow moving west to east)

BEIJING, Jan 25 (Reuters) - China's weather forecasters warned on Friday that heavy snow could sweep swathes of the country in coming days, threatening energy supplies and the massive move of people before the Lunar New Year holiday.

The harsh weather could roll from west to east over the next three days, the China Meteorological Administration said on its Web site (www.cma.gov.cn), forecasting heavy snow, sleet and rain.

Snow storms could hit parts of the heavily agricultural heartland provinces of Henan and Hubei, and Anui province to the east.

Tens of millions of Chinese people, especially rural migrant workers, are cramming trains and buses to return home to celebrate the Lunar New Year, which this year begins on Feb. 7.

Power supplies in many provinces have also been strained recently, partly due to snow falls slowing trains and sapping coal supplies.

The administration warned travellers and power plants to brace for more disruptions.

"It is predicted that this weather process will quite severely affect transport, communications and energy supplies and people's work and lives," said the announcement.

The icy weather briefly disrupted trains between Beijing and Guangzhou, in the far south, and caused power shortages in Hunan province, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Thursday.