Rain, snowfall forecast in Jammu and Kashmir

Higher reaches in Jammu and Kashmir are likely to receive snowfall Thursday, while light to moderate rainfall is expected in its plains during the next 24 hours, the Met Office here has forecast.

"Western Disturbance (WD) over north Pakistan and adjoining areas of Jammu and Kashmir is expected to affect the Western Himalayan region and bring snowfall in higher reaches in Jammu and Kashmir in the next 24 hours," Sonam Lotus, director of the local Met office, told IANS.

The minimum temperature in Srinagar and Gulmarg was recorded at the freezing point Thursday while Pahalgam recorded minus 2.8 degrees Celsius.

Due to poor visibility and dense fog, light traffic was seen on city roads as most people preferred to stay indoors.

Leh town in the Ladakh region recorded the lowest minimum temperature at 9.4 degrees Celsius below the freezing point and Kargil town of the same region also recorded the lowest temperature at minus 9.2 degrees Celsius.

"The minimum temperature in Jammu city was 10 degrees Celsius today," Lotus said.

A western disturbance is an tropical storm system in the Mediterranean Sea that brings rain and snowfall in India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh.

Prospects of a better Rabi crop in these areas depends largely on the western disturbance.