Snow falls in Tasmania amid unseasonably cold start to summer in Australia’s south-east

Conditions are expected to persist for several days in NSW, but Tasmania and Victoria will see warmer temperatures from Sunday

• Follow our Australia news live blog for the latest updates

• Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast

Residents in parts of south-east Australia may be dreaming of a white Christmas, amid an unseasonably cold start to the summer.

Snow has been falling across the alps and on the Tasmanian highlands throughout the week, though warmer weather is on the horizon. Thursday was the coldest December day in Hobart since 1964, reaching a maximum of just 11.5C, with up to 10mm of snow falling on elevations above 1,5000 metres.

Sign up for Guardian Australia's free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup