On 1 July 2025, NIWA merged with GNS Science to become Earth Sciences New Zealand.

Climate & Weather

Understanding our variable and changing climate is critical for managing resources and reducing risks.

  • Climate change will cause more deaths from air pollution, study finds

    Media release
    New research estimates that if climate change goes unchecked 60,000 more people will die globally from air pollution in 2030 – just 13 years away.
  • So far, so stormy

    Media release
    Today’s low came spinning off the coast of Hawke’s Bay funneling strong winds through the Cook Strait and hitting Wellington region with strong winds before moving on to Taranaki and Auckland this afternoon.
  • Generating synthetic wind data

    Research Project
    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.
  • Tornado damage Whenuapai.

    Extreme weather - winds and tornadoes

    Education Resource
    Due to its position in the 'Roaring Forties', a belt of strong winds in the Southern Hemisphere which generally occur between the latitudes of 40 and 49 degrees, as well as its small size, New Zealand is a windy country.
  • Lesson 9: Ngā Tohu o te Taiao – Māori environmental indicators

    Education Resource
    This lesson will explore the use of Māori environmental indicators [tohu] to anticipate local weather and climate conditions.
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    HIRDSv4 Usage

    NIWA's High Intensity Rainfall Design System (HIRDS) offers planners and engineers more certainty about the frequency of high-intensity rainfall events, enabling them to better design stormwater drainage, flood defence systems and other vital structures.
  • Wairarapa drought

    Drought

    Education Resource
    Defining drought and identifying its causes and impacts on humans.
  • What is Ocean acidification?

    NIWA oceanographer Dr Cliff Law explains the impacts of ocean acidification on organisms that use carbonates to build their shells, and on bacteria.
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    Investigating ocean acidification

    Feature story
    The world’s oceans are acidifying as a result of the carbon dioxide (CO2) generated by humanity.
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    Mean monthly sunshine (hours)

    These datasets are available in a range of formats.
  • Assessment of crop and tree species growing potential using climate, soil and topographic information

    Research Project
    This project demonstrates how to assess high value alternative land-use options by means of a quantitative analysis of the growing potential of selected niche crops and tree species.