NIWA weather and climate information

Free sources of weather and climate information and data from NIWA.

Following is a summary of free sources of weather and climate information and data available from NIWA:

NIWAWeather forecasts

Site-specific weather forecasts for many locations around New Zealand, including a hosted forecast video Monday-Friday.

NIWAWeather parks forecasts

Site-specific weather forecasts for New Zealand’s national parks, including many high-elevation locations. There is also a hosted forecast video seven days per week.

CliFlo - the New Zealand National Climate Database

This website requires a user to make a free account, and then all data is accessible from weather stations throughout the country.

NIWA Daily Climate Maps

A series of maps updated daily reflecting parameters such as temperature, rainfall, sunshine, soil moisture, etc.

Seasonal Climate Outlooks

Seasonal climate outlooks provide air temperature, rainfall, soil moisture and river flow predictions for the coming season.

NIWA Climate Summaries

View annual, seasonal and monthly summaries of temperature, rainfall and sunshine data from across New Zealand dating back to 2001.

Information on El Niño and La Niña

General information on the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and its typical impacts on New Zealand.

New Zealand Drought Index (NZDI)

The New Zealand Drought Monitor is a system for keeping track of drought conditions across New Zealand based on a standardised climate index.

NIWA Hotspot Watch

A weekly update describing soil moisture patterns across New Zealand, produced from approximately October-April each year.

NIWA35 Drought Forecasting Dashboard

A 35-day outlook for rainfall anomalies along with dryness and drought forecasts for New Zealand.

Sea Surface Temperature Forecasts

A six-month sea surface temperature forecast for several locations around NZ, plus accompanying maps.

New Zealand Regional Climatologies

Summaries of the typical weather and climate of New Zealand’s regions, based on historical data observations.

Southwest Pacific Tropical Cyclone Outlook

A forecast for the upcoming tropical cyclone season, issued annually in October.

Island Climate Update

A monthly summary and forecast of the climate in the tropical South Pacific islands.

Please note that the Island Climate Update does not cover New Zealand itself.