Jammu/Srinagar, Dec 7 (IANS): Night temperatures increased throughout Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday due to a partial overnight cloud cover. The weather office has forecast heavy rains and snowfall between December 11 and 15.

Sonam Lotus, Director of the MET department said: "A western disturbance is most likely to become active in Jammu and Kashmir from December 11 onwards.

"Under the influence of this western disturbance, we are expecting moderate to heavy rainfall in the plains and snowfall in the hills of the Jammu region.

"Moderate to heavy snowfall will likely occur in the Kashmir Valley and the Ladakh region.

"The western disturbance would start weakening from December 15 onwards.

"Air and surface traffic will get disrupted because," Lotus added.

Meanwhile, the night temperatures improved in all the three regions of the state, the weather office said.

"Jammu city and Leh town recorded the season's coldest night at 6.4 and minus 13.6 degrees Celsius respectively.

"Minimum temperature was 7.1 and minus 7.0 in Jammu city and the Leh town respectively on Thursday. Kargil town also recorded minus 7.0 as the minimum against Wednesday's minus 7.5.

"The night's lowest temperature was minus 2.7 in Srinagar city. It was 1.3 in Pahalgam and minus 2.5 in Gulmarg.

"Elsewhere in the Jammu region, Katra town recorded 9.0, Batote 5.9, Bannihal 5.1, Bhaderwah 4.4 and Udhampur 3.8 as the minimum temperatures on Thursday."