It looked like snow, and it felt like snow, but in what may come as a disappointment to Sydneysiders, today's winter whiteness was just soft hail.

Just after 3.30pm (AEST) this afternoon the area around Lindfield, Roseville and Killara became blanketed in white as a thunderstorm brought a winter wonderland to parts of northern Sydney.

"It's given a very European feel to Roseville," one Roseville woman told the Seven Network.