Weather hazards

NIWA plays a pivotal role in weather hazards research, providing critical information and tools for assessing, monitoring, and managing weather-related risks and impacts.

  • Hotspot Watch 16 December 2022

    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.
  • Protecting people

    Feature story
    Mia Blyth talks to an environmental hazard specialist who feels a very personal connection to his work.
  • Bridging the forecasting gap

    Feature story
    Improvements in data and climate science mean forecasters are able to predict patterns much further ahead and in far greater detail. Melissa Bray looks at what this may mean for farmers.
  • Hotspot Watch 16 November 2022

    Hotspot
    A weekly update describing soil moisture patterns across the country to show where dry to extremely dry conditions are occurring or imminent.
  • Identifying rip currents using artificial intelligence

    Research Project
    NIWA and Surf Life Saving New Zealand are working together to develop a state-of-the-art, rip current identification tool underpinned by artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning technologies.
  • "Exceptional" August atmospheric river sets record

    Media release
    NIWA meteorologists say last week’s atmospheric river (AR), which was responsible for widespread devastation in both the North and South Islands, was a record-breaker.
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    Explainer: Uncertainties in flood risk assessments

    Research Project
    University of Canterbury’s Professor Matthew Wilson, one of the Mā te haumaru ō te wai research team, gives us some insight on uncertainty.weather
  • 2022 off to a searing start

    Media release
    New Zealand’s weather is proving no exception to the record-breaking extremes occurring around the globe.
  • A Hard Rain’s A’Gonna Fall

    Feature story
    Climate change means more intense storm systems are on their way. Science can’t stop it raining, but it can help communities prepare for the worst and plan for the future.
  • Hotspot Watch 13 May 2022

    Hotspot
    A weekly update describing soil moisture patterns across the country to show where dry to extremely dry conditions are occurring or imminent.
  • The instruments at work - In the volcano's wake

    Our team onboard RV Tangaroa are equipped with all the tech and tools they need to explore the undersea changes caused by the devastating volcanic eruption in Tonga earlier this year.
  • Hotspot Watch 29 April 2022

    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.