Srinagar, Nov 16 (IANS): Higher reaches of Jammu and Kashmir were lashed with seasons first major snowfall on Monday as the weather office forecast improvement in overall weather conditions beginning later afternoon.

An official of the local MET department said hill stations of Gulmarg, Sonamarg, Pahalgam and higher reaches in Kupwara, Baramulla, Kulgam, Shopian and Anantnag districts received fresh snowfall during the last 12 hours.

"This is season's first major snowfall activity and we are expecting improvement in overall weather conditions from today afternoon onwards," an official of the MET department said.

Authorities have allowed movement of traffic on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway. Latest reports said snowfall had started in the Bannihal Tunnel area of the highway.

Other highways including the Srinagar-Leh highway and the Mughal Road have been closed due to snowfall.

The minimum temperatures improved in Jammu and Kashmir because of cloud cover.

Minimum temperature was 2.8 degrees Celsius in Srinagar, 0.6 in Pahalgam, minus 3.0 in Gulmarg, 12.6 in Jammu, 0.2 in Bannihal, 3.1 in Batote, 3.7 in Bhaderwah and 9.2 in Katra.