A bitterly cold change has tonight moved into Christchurch with temperatures plummeting.

It’s just 5 degrees and raining in the garden city and only 3 degrees at Akaroa.  WeatherWatch.co.nz estimates snow is falling to fairly low levels along Banks Peninsula, particulary on the southern side.

A gale force southerly gusting 90km/h has now hit Kaikoura and the front is now moving towards the North Island.

As of 7:30pm Wellington still had a brisk northerly and 13 degrees.

Earlier story (3:13pm)

Temperatures are down across the country today and with a cold front moving up the South Island this afternoon conditions are about to get even colder.

The weather has turned wintry in Southland but, as predicted by WeatherWatch.co.nz, there has been no repeat of the September snow storm that killed half a million newborn lambs.  But temperatures are low.  It’s just 3 degrees in Lumsden and with a strong sou’wester the wind chill is currently -4.

Invercargill has warmed up a little to 10 degrees but a strong west south west wind continues to hammer the area.

Further north and the strong southerly has arrived in Timaru where temperatures have fallen to 7 degrees but the front hasn’t yet reached Christchurch where it’s 16.

Many centres in the North Island are between 14 and 17 degrees this hour with only Gisborne in the late teens on 19.