Srinagar, Oct 23 (IANS): A western disturbance is likely to approach Jammu and Kashmir from Saturday and cause snowfall and heavy rain in the state for the next three-four days, the local weather office said on Friday.

"A tropical storm is likely to affect the state from tomorrow (Saturday) afternoon and will last till Tuesday evening," an official of the local Met Office told IANS.

During this period we expect snowfall over higher reaches and moderate to heavy rainfall in Kashmir and Jammu divisions and many other places, particularly Kargil district of Ladakh region, he said.

"The wet conditions are likely to last for most of this peroid and weather will improve from October 27 evening onwards," the official said.

Owing to the adverse weather forecast, the local meteorological office has issued an advisory and asked travellers on Srinagar-Jammu National Highway and other main roads to exercise caution before embarking on the journey.

"The weather condition may trigger landslides and blockage of road in vulnerable areas, particularly the Srinagar-Jammu national highway, Srinagar-Leh and Leh-Manali road," the advisory said.

The 300-km Srinagar-Jammu highway is the surface link of the state with outside and all essential commodities are routed by this road to the landlocked Kashmir Valley.

"Hostile weather system may also disrupt surface and air transport during these days," the weather official said.

A western disturbance is a tropical storm system originating in the Mediterranean Sea that brings rain and snowfall in India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh.