Jack Frost arrives early for the South Island, temps plummet below zero and snow falls

Mt Roy looking over Lake Wanaka on Tuesday morning. Photo / Supplied

Winter has arrived slightly early in the South Island, with freezing temperatures and dumps of snow in many places this morning.

A midnight storm dumped about a centimetre of snow onto the Porters Alpine Resort near Castle Hill near Arthurs Pass early this morning.

And parts of inland Otago woke to below-zero temperatures - down to -3.2C.

Porters operations manager Blair James hoped the cold snap was an early indicator of good snowfall this season.

He said the dump marked two weeks in a row of snowfall and cold temperatures - weather which makes him hopeful for a good season to come.

The lowest temperature in Otago at 7.30am today was at Oturehua at -3.2C.

Ophir dropped to -0.8C, Wanaka -0.6C and Omarama, Naseby and Glenorchy hit -0.5C.

Elsewhere around the south the weather was just as crisp.

Maximum temps tomorrow will be cooler than average for this time of year for many spots across the South Island. Dunedin, Queenstown and Wanaka all only touching 10°C, so be sure to keep your 🧥 and 🧣 on hand!

See what's in store for your town at https://t.co/Yjbq0jxdqz ^MM pic.twitter.com/SiqtC94YPj

— MetService (@MetService) April 26, 2021

"A frosty start to the day for most South Islanders," said MetService this morning.

"Currently, Alexandra is -0.1C, Aoraki Mt Cook -0.9C and Pukaki -3.4C."

MetService said maximum temperatures today will be "cooler than average for this time of year" for many spots across the South Island.

Mt Hutt Ski field on Tuesday morning. Photo / supplied

The agency said Dunedin, Queenstown and Wanaka will all only touch the 10C mark.

"So be sure to keep your coat and scarf on hand," a forecaster tweeted.