Atmospheric analysis

Western South Island
Wesport, Hokitika, Milford Sound
The climate of this area is greatly dependent on its exposure to weather systems from the Tasman Sea and the lie of the Southern Alps to the east. Although mean annual rainfall is very high, dry spells do occur, especially in late summer and during winter. Heavy rainfall occurs from the northwest. Summers are mild. Typical summer daytime maximum air temperatures range from 17°C to 22°C and seldom exceed 25°C. Winter days often start with frost.

Useful information and resources on New Zealand's marine flora and invertebrate fauna.

A basket star was the first reported animal trawled up from the deep sea back in the early 1800s so they have a spot in the history books of deep ocean exploration.

This calculator estimates the solar energy that can be collected by a solar capture device (solar panel) at a given address, panel direction and roof slope.

The River Environment Classification (REC) is a database of catchment spatial attributes, summarised for every segment in New Zealand's network of rivers.

The world’s oceans are acidifying as a result of the carbon dioxide (CO2) generated by humanity.

An overview of what the SHMAK kit comprises, and various uses for it.

View a collection of maps showing the impact of past El Niño and La Niña events.

Has a receding lower jaw and black spots behind the head.

New Zealand's first eel farm was established in 1971. Despite other farms opening in later years, no eel farms remained by the start of the 1980s.

Dry stock farms can cover large areas of hill-country grassland that may be steep and prone to erosion.

NIWA has recently created synthetic, multi-year, 10-minute wind datasets at 15 wind farm sites across New Zealand. These will be used by the Electricity Commission to model the impact of wind farms on the national grid.