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.

Drought forecasting dashboard

The drought forecasting tool uses innovative climate modelling, the latest in machine learning and other data-driven techniques to predict rainfall 35 days ahead. Helping farmers and growers better prepare for periods of dryness and drought.

Climate and weather

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    Tropical Cyclone Hamish

    Southwest Pacific Tropical Cyclone Outlook

    Publication series
    A summary of up-coming tropical cyclone seasons, issued 6-monthly.

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    Mean number of days of ground frost

    These datasets are available in a range of formats.

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    Virtual Climate Station data and products

    Virtual climate station estimates are produced every day, based on the spatial interpolation of actual data observations made at climate stations located around the country.
    Climate data

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    Hotspot Watch Updates

    This weekly update helps assess likelihood of extremely dry weather preceding a drought.
    Climate and weather
    Extreme weather

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    Investigating ocean acidification

    Feature story
    06 June 2017
    The world’s oceans are acidifying as a result of the carbon dioxide (CO2) generated by humanity.
    Climate change
    Ocean acidification
    Oceans

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    Map Chatham

    Education Resource
    Extremes of temperature are rare as the Chatham Islands are small land masses surrounded by sea.
    Climate and weather

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    Southland

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    What is the greenhouse effect?

    Education Resource
    The greenhouse effect is a warming of the earth's surface and lower atmosphere caused by substances which let the sun's energy through to the ground but impede the passage of energy from the earth back into space.
    Greenhouse and trace gases
    Climate change

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    Regional climatologies

    A regional climatology is a summary of the typical weather and climate of a region, based on historical data observations made at climate stations located within the region.
    Climate and weather

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    Tuna - glass eels

    Glass eels (about 5.5 to 7.0 cm) arrive in fresh water during spring, especially during September and October, although they may be present from July to December.
    Climate change
    Tides

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    Mean relative humidity

    You can download these summaries in a range of formats.

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    National and regional climate maps

    Research Project
    Maps of average annual rainfall, temperature and other climate variables have been produced for all of New Zealand, based on the period 1981–2010.