Atmospheric analysis

It's official - last year was once again Aotearoa's warmest on record, knocking 2021 off the top spot. It was also the 8th most unusually wet year on record – meaning lots of rain fell in unusual places.

As New Zealanders search for the summer sun, 38 researchers and crew will board RV Tangaroa tomorrow for a six-week science voyage deep into the waters of Antarctica.

New research suggests large-scale wildfires may be changing the chemical makeup of our atmosphere. Jessica Rowley explains.

Beachgoers could be safer thanks to a new technology with the potential to give real-time updates of rip currents.

Virtual Climate Station Network (VCSN) data technical description

In 2022 NIWA commenced participation in the government's Kia Toipoto programme.

A study investigating the level of change needed to improve the state of Hawke’s Bay’s marine environment highlights the magnitude and frequency of interventions required for the seafloor ecosystem to recover.

NIWA is active in a broad range of eDNA topics and can provide expert advice on applications and expected outcomes. We welcome inquiries into our services and can assist with experimental design.

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.

Prior to 15 January, Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai was a little-known undersea South Pacific volcano with a long name. Within 24 hours, it  was a global phenomenon – the site of the largest atmospheric explosion in almost 150 years. Jessica Rowley looks at why a remote Tongan volcano took the world by storm.

Mia Blyth talks to an environmental hazard specialist who feels a very personal connection to his work.

Our coastline is changing as sea levels rise. Lawrence Gullery looks at a five-year research programme designed to help communities with tough decisions ahead.