Climate & Weather

Understanding our variable and changing climate is critical for managing resources and reducing risks.

  • More snow on glaciers but no good news, say scientists

    Media release
    Scientists have recorded more snow on the South Island glaciers this year, but they warn it is simply a temporary break rather than any good news on the climate change front.
  • We don’t know much about lakes and climate change, says researcher

    Media release
    Scientists know so little about how storms affect the delicate balance of lake ecosystems that we may be unable to protect them from the effects of climate change, says a NIWA scientist.
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    What's average in my region?

    One of the top questions NIWA receives about its Seasonal Climate Outlook is: what is below normal / near normal / above average in my region?
  • Scientists to check out ash on New Zealand glaciers

    Media release
    Scientists undertaking the annual Southern Alps end-of-summer snowline survey this week will be using advanced photographic technology to help clarify obscure snowlines due to ash and dust from the Australian bushfires.
  • Hotspot Watch 27 February 2020

    Hotspot
    Across the North Island, slight soil moisture increases were observed during the past week as a front brought much needed rain to drought affected areas. However, soil moisture levels continue to be well below normal across the vast majority of the island. Across the South Island, soil moisture levels generally increased in the north and decreased in the south during the past week.
  • Scientists say methane emitted by humans ‘vastly underestimated’

    Media release
    NIWA researchers have helped unlock information trapped in ancient air samples from Greenland and Antarctica that shows the amount of methane humans are emitting into the atmosphere from fossil fuels has been vastly underestimated.
  • Hotspot Watch 19 February 2020

    Hotspot
    Nearly all of the North Island has reached official hotspot status, with only a few isolated areas that have not quite reached hotspot criteria. Current hotspots in the South Island now include Nelson and nearby parts of Tasman, much of Marlborough, along with northern Canterbury, Banks Peninsula, and parts of Ashburton and Selwyn districts.
  • Auckland set to break dry spell record

    Media release
    Auckland is set to break a climate record on Saturday for the region’s longest dry spell, according to NIWA forecasters.
  • What’s the difference between weather and climate?

    While weather and climate are closely related, they’re not the same thing.
  • Hotspot Watch 12 February 2020

    Hotspot
    Across the North Island, the past week once again featured little if any rainfall for most locations. Soil moisture levels in the lower South Island have improved markedly from last week.
  • Hotspot Watch 5 February 2020

    Hotspot
    A weekly update describing soil moisture patterns across the country to show where dry to extremely dry conditions are occurring or imminent. Regions experiencing significant soil moisture deficits are deemed “hotspots”. Persistent hotspot regions have the potential to develop into drought.
  • Forecast shows Auckland region to stay dry

    Media release
    Aucklanders should not expect any decent rain for more than 10 days, says NIWA principal scientist and forecaster Chris Brandolino.