Srinagar, Nov 23 (IANS): The weather department has forecast light rain and snow in the higher reaches of Jammu and Kashmir even as night temperatures improved Saturday because of cloud cover.

"The minimum temperature was 0.8 degrees Celsius in Srinagar today (Saturday) while it was minus 0.8 in Pahalgam, 0.8 in Gulmarg and minus 1.8 in Kargil and minus 5.4 in Leh in Ladakh region," a weather department official told IANS here.

The minimum temperature was 10.7 degrees Celsius in Jammu Saturday, he said.

Night temperature showed improvement Saturday compared to the minimum temperature across the state in the last few days. The weather office forecast light rain and snow in the higher reaches of the state in the next two days.

The valley has been reeling under cold wave conditions for the last fortnight as the night temperature dropped several notches below freezing point.

"We are expecting light rain and snow in the higher reaches during the next 48 hours in Jammu and Kashmir which will bring some respite from the cold conditions the valley has been experiencing during the last 15 days," the official said.