Jammu/Srinagar, Dec 23 (IANS): There was an overall improvement in the night temperatures in the Jammu region on Friday while the Kashmir Valley continued to reel under an intense cold wave.

An official of the MET department told IANS: "Against yesterday''s (Thursday) 5.7, the lowest night temperature rose to 9.0 in Jammu city today (Friday)."

"There was similar improvement in Bhaderwah town where the night''s lowest temperature was 3.0 degrees today (Friday) against yesterday''s (Thursday) minus 2.1 degrees Celsius."

Katra town recorded 9.4, Batote 7.0 and Bannihal 1.5 as the night''s lowest in the Jammu region.

The official said the minimum temperatures throughout the valley and the Ladakh region remained several notches below the freezing point despite partially cloudy weather.

"Weather is likely to remain cloudy and dry in the state during the next 24 hours and this could bring in some improvement in the night temperatures during this period,'' the official noted.

"The night''s lowest in Srinagar was minus 5.5 while it was minus 4.8 and minus 2.2 in Pahalgam and Gulmarg.

"Leh town was the coldest town in the state today at minus 8.2 degrees Celsius," he added.

The Dal Lake and most other water bodies around Srinagar city and elsewhere in the valley have partially frozen.