Weather to improve in Jammu and Kashmir from Saturday

Weather across Jammu and Kashmir will start improving on Saturday with decrease in overall rainfall activity, meteorological department said.

"It is presently raining here, but from today (Saturday) onwards there would be overall improvement in weather conditions...," Sonam Lotus, the director of the local meteorological department told IANS here.

"There would be more rainfall activity in Pir Panjal and Chenan Valley of Jammu region during the next 12 hours as the Western Disturbance causing the present rainfall and snow has weakened over the Valley," Lotus said.

There has been fresh snowfall in all the higher reaches of the state including Zojilla Pass, Sonamarg, Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Pir Panjal Mountain range.

Fresh snowfall also occurred during the night on hillocks surrounding Srinagar city.

"The minimum temperature was 0.4 degrees Celsius in Srinagar on Saturday which is five degrees below normal. It was minus 2.0 in Gulmarg and 0.4 in Pahalgam," another official of the meteorological department said.

Leh and Kargil towns of Ladakh region recorded 2.5 and minus 2.5 degrees respectively on Saturday, he said.

"In the Jammu region, the minimum temperature was 17.5 in Jammu city, 13.6 in Katra, 4.5 in Batote, 6.2 in Bannihal, 5.6 in Bhaderwah and 13.5 in Udhampur town."

Authorities have issued an avalanche warning for all the avalanche prone higher reaches of Jammu and Kashmir.

Residents of these areas have been advised to move about with absolute caution.