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.

  • Wellington will get significantly warmer, new climate change report shows

    Media release
    Wellington city will have warmer autumns, almost a month of days over 25°C and up to 10 per cent more winter rain by 2090, according to a new NIWA climate report.
  • Climate change and variability - report for the Greater Wellington Region

  • 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.
  • Special Climate Statement 2017-18 Summer

    Sea surface temperatures in the southern Tasman Sea rose to exceptionally high levels in late 2017 and early 2018. These temperatures were far above any others previously observed at that time of year in the region, and extended west from New Zealand to Tasmania and mainland southeast Australia.
  • Snow depth

    Ideas for projects using climate data

    Education Resource
    Ideas for projects using climate data
  • Inspection at Mt. Dobson Climate site in Canterbury on 03.05.2024

    Climate Summaries

    Publication series
    View annual, seasonal and monthly summaries of temperature, rainfall and sunshine data from across New Zealand.
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    Mean monthly wet-days

    These datasets are available in a range of formats.
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    Wellington

  • 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.
  • South coast waves

    Wave hazard research

    Research Project
    NIWA collects wave data, develops and verifies wave forecasting systems, and is developing and producing wave projections.
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    Definitions of drought

    There are several definitions of drought, depending upon whether it is viewed as a hazard or a risk.