Srinagar, Jan 14 (IANS): But for the scanty snowfall in the mountains, the Kashmir Valley's eager wait for the season's first snowfall ended in disappointment Wednesday.

There has been three inches deep snowfall in Gulmarg and a little snow around the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in the Jammu region.

But in the plains, there was light to moderate rainfall during the last 24 hours and the weather is expected to start improving from Wednesday afternoon.

"We are expecting cold, dry weather in Jammu and Kashmir during the next four to five days", said an official of the Indian Meteorological Department.

As people woke up in the morning in Srinagar and other places in the Kashmir Valley, they expectantly peeped out of their windows expecting snow on the ground since it was raining heavily Tuesday evening.

The hopes of season's first snowfall in the plains, however, vanished as clouds started cracking up in the morning.

Due to overcast skies, the minimum temperatures improved throughout the state Wednesday.

Srinagar recorded the minimum temperature of 2.7 degrees Celsius while in Gulmarg and Pahalgam also mercury rose to minus 3.6 and 0.4 degrees respectively.

In Leh town, the minimum temperature rose remarkably to minus 3.4 degrees Celsius Wednesday. It was hovering around minus 12 degrees the past fortnight.

"Kargil town recorded minus 9 degrees Celsius, again showing signs of improvement over the average of minus 13 degrees since the last fortnight," the weatherman said.

"Jammu city recorded 9.8 degrees Celsius today (Wednesday)," he added.