Weather hazards

HIRDS is a simple online tool that can estimate the magnitude and frequency of high intensity rainfall at any point in New Zealand.

NIWA-led research

Decisions about how we adapt to sea-level rise need to be based on information about our exposure to coastal flooding, both now and in the future after a period of rising sea levels.

NIWA is developing a national river flow forecasting tool for New Zealand that aims to support and strengthen our planning for and response to extreme rainfall events.

The My Coastal Futures game was developed to help people understand climate change impacts and start thinking about how they might adapt. It provides players with the experience of making decisions about their coastal property as the sea level rises

NIWA and the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) are working together to develop a new drought forecasting tool.

RiskScape is a software application for analysing natural hazard consequences.

This five-year NIWA-led research programme is developing a system to map flood hazard consistently across the whole country. It will reveal how our flood risk might change over the next 100 years because of changes to rainfall and sea level from climate change, as well as due to land-use changes. Find out more.

NIWA’s research into forecasting weather systems aims to increase the resilience of New Zealand communities to weather-related hazards.

Developing a snowmelt forecast system to enable more accurate and confident forecasts of river flow and alpine hazards.

Transforming coastal lowland systems threatened by sea-level rise into prosperous communities

In this activity, you will play NIWA's online serious game, Township Flood Challenge.