While the mercury in most parts of Jammu and Kashmir  marked an improvement after plummeting several degrees below season's average over the past couple of days, Leh town of Ladakh was the recorded asthe coldest place at a low of minus 6.3 degrees Celsius, a MeT department official said. Jammu city, however, recorded a dip in the maximum and minimum temperature as the Sun played hide and seek during the day, the official said.

Besides Leh, he said the nearby Kargil town and the famous ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir also recorded sub-zero night temperatures of minus 3.8 and minus 1.3 degrees Celsius, respectively.

The high altitudes of the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh including Gulmarg experienced a fresh snowfall, while the plains were lashed by light to moderate rains between November 21 and 23.

With the Sun making an appearance in Srinagar, the officialsaid the city recorded an increase of five notches in the maximum temperaturewhich settled at 12.4 degrees Celsius -- just 1.4 degrees below normal duringthis part of the season.The minimum temperature in the city also shot up to 4.9degrees Celsius against the previous night's 3.2 degrees Celsius, he saidadding it is 4.8 degrees above the season's average.

The maximum temperature in Jammu fell by 0.8 notches andsettled at 24.3 degrees Celsius, while the night temperature in the city fellby over two degrees to settle at 12.9 degrees Celsius against the previousnight's 15.0 degrees Celsius, the official said.Bhaderwah town in Doda districtwas the coldest recorded place in Jammu region with a high of 14.7 degreesCelsius and a low of 4.5 degrees Celsius, the official said.He said Katra, thebase camp for the pilgrims visiting Vaishno Devi shrine, recorded a maximum of21.5 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 11.6 degrees Celsius. The weatherman hasforecast dry weather in most parts of the two union territories during the nexttwo days followed by a brief spell of rain or snow at most places on November27.