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.

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    What is the chance of a warm summer in Invercargill?

    In this activity you will analyse the Southern Oscillation Index and investigate the chances of getting below normal, normal or above normal summer temperatures in Invercargill.
  • Drought indicator charts

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    Obtaining climate data from NIWA

    NIWA maintains the national climate database for New Zealand, and can supply data in a variety of ways.
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    Map W South

    Education Resource
    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.
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    West Coast

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    Common climate and weather terms

    Education Resource
    Confused about El Niño, or can't tell the difference between an Anticyclone and an Isobar? Let us help.
  • Winter 2020 – NZ’s warmest winter on record

    Media release
    New Zealand has just experienced its warmest winter on record, according to official NIWA climate data.
  • Clouds

    Education Resource
    Common questions about clouds, how they are formed and how they behave.
  • Understanding and predicting floods and their impacts

    Feature story
    Floods are not unusual in New Zealand, but those that hit us early this winter broke records. Why did they occur? Should we expect more? Can we predict future floods?
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    Floods

    Education Resource
    River floods occur when water spills from a river channel onto land that is normally dry, and are one of New Zealand's costliest natural hazards.
  • Southland

    Southland is both the most southerly and most westerly part of New Zealand and generally is the first to be influenced by weather systems moving onto the country from the west or south.
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    Mean monthly sunshine (hours)

    These datasets are available in a range of formats.