Drought forecasting dashboard
NIWA and MPI are working together to develop a new drought forecasting tool. It uses innovative climate modelling, the latest in machine learning and other data-driven techniques to predict rainfall 35 days ahead. It will help farmers and growers better prepare for periods of dryness and drought.
Climate and weather
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NIWA's Hotspot Watch for 21 November 2018
Hotspot21 November 2018The driest soils across the North Island compared to normal for this time of the year are found in parts of Northland, Taupo, and Tararua District. A small hotspot is currently in place in northwestern Marlborough. -
Update on El Niño
Media release21 November 2018An abnormal El Niño weather event is looking likely for New Zealand over summer, according to NIWA meteorologist Ben Noll. -
NIWA's Hotspot Watch for 14 November 2018
Hotspot14 November 2018The driest soils across the North Island compared to normal for this time of the year are found in Whangarei and Kaipara districts, along with Taupo and Tararua. No hotspots are currently in place in the South Island. -
NIWA's Hotspot Watch for 7 November 2018
Hotspot07 November 2018The largest hotspot in the North Island continues to be found in Napier and southern Hastings District. A new, very small hotspot has also emerged this week near Cape Reinga. No hotspots are currently in place in the South Island. -
NIWA's Hotspot Watch for 31 October 2018
Hotspot31 October 2018With the recent rain, the soil moisture has generally improved across the North Island since last week. However, the soils are still drier than normal for the time of year in eastern Northland, western Auckland, western Waikato, western Taranaki, as well as Hawke’s Bay, central and southern Manawatu-Wanganui and Wairarapa. -
Volunteers needed to unlock historic weather secrets
NIWA climate scientists are calling for volunteers to unearth weather secrets from the past – including those recorded by members of Captain Robert Scott’s doomed trip to the South Pole in 1912. -
Volunteers needed to unlock historic weather secrets 30 October 2018
Media release30 October 2018NIWA climate scientists are calling for volunteers to unearth weather secrets from the past – including those recorded by members of Captain Robert Scott’s doomed trip to the South Pole in 1912. -
NIWA Blake Ambassadors Vlog 1: Sampling salps 24/7
Sampling salps from different depths -
NIWA/Blake Ambassadors Blog 1
24 October 2018: NIWA Blake Ambassadors Lana Young and Siobhan O'Connor report back -
The Year of the Salps project
Students at Leigh School have been working with marine scientists and the 'Year of the Salps' project partners to learn how to count sea salps, understand salp life cycle phases and the importance of salps in marine ecosystems and their carbon-cycling effects on climate change. -
NIWA's Hotspot Watch for 24 October 2018
Hotspot24 October 2018Soils are drier than normal for the time of year in the majority of the North Island, excluding the eastern Gisborne region where the soil moisture is near average. Parts of Queenstown-Lakes District in Otago, the Grey and Buller Districts in the West Coast, northeastern Marlborough, and the Waimate District in southern Canterbury experience well below average rainfall for this time of year, while the rest of the South Island had near normal rainfall. -
Marshallese benefit from new RiskScape drought tool
Feature story17 October 2018Inhabitants of the Marshall Islands may not be able to avoid drought, but thanks to a new tool co-developed by NIWA they can now plan ahead to better manage water resources when the big dry looms.