Srinagar, Jan 12 (IANS): The Kashmir Valley Saturday experienced fresh snowfall, forcing authorities to close the Srinagar-Jammu highway.

Light snowfall started here and other towns of the valley in the morning. There were reports of moderate snowfall in the higher reaches, especially in the Pir Panjal mountain range in south Kashmir.

The Met Office here issued an advisory predicting moderate to heavy snowfall in the Pir Panjal mountain range and light snowfall in some other areas of the state.

"Rain and snowfall will occur in the Kashmir Valley due to the western disturbance active over the state. There will be light snowfall in some areas including Srinagar. But moderate to heavy snowfall is expected in the higher reaches," Sonam Lotus, director of the Met Office here told IANS.

Authorities said the movement of vehicles on the Srinagar-Jammu highway has been halted because of accumulation of snow in the Bannihal sector of the road in Anantnag district.

Due to a cloud cover, the minimum temperature rose across the state.

The night temperature in Srinagar was a little above the freezing point at 0.4 degree Celsius.

In Pahalgam, the minimum temperature was -2 degrees Celsius. It was -5.2 degrees Celsius in Gulmarg, -12.6 degrees Celsius in Leh and -14.4 degrees Celsius in Kargil town.