The temperature has fallen to one degree and snow has been falling in Timaru.

Weather analyst Philip Duncan says it has been snowing heavily in the South Canterbury city for the past few hours and in some places has already exceded a depth of 13 centimetres. Snow has also fallen within 20 kilometres of Christchurch.

Mr Duncan says sleet is falling in other regions around Canterbury. Ands he expects snow to fall to nearly sea level in Kaikoura this afternoon.