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.

  • Daily climate maps

    These climate maps are updated daily and are based on data from our National Climate Database.
  • (no image provided)

    Mean daily maximum temperatures (°C)

    These datasets are available in a range of formats.
  • Takahe Valley monitoring station

    Monthly

    Publication series
    Monthly climate summaries from December 2001 to the present.
  • El Niño maps and charts

    View a collection of maps showing the impact of past El Niño and La Niña events.
  • (no image provided)

    Map I South

    Education Resource
    The climate of this zone is largely dependent on the lie of the Southern Alps to the west, but many areas are also sheltered by high country to the south and east.
  • Farming and the primary sector

    Farmers are making business decisions everyday which are influenced by environmental factors. We can help farmers to improve decision-making, mitigate farm environment risk, and to become more productive, efficient, competitive and sustainable.
  • (no image provided)

    The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

    Education Resource
    The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is charged with assessing the most up to date scientific, technical and socio-economic research on climate change.
  • Sea-level rise

    Education Resource
    One of the major consequences of climate change is rising global sea levels.
  • 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.
  • (no image provided)

    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.
  • Native forests absorbing more carbon dioxide

    Media release
    New Zealand’s forests and other land areas may be absorbing up to 60% more carbon dioxide than has been calculated, with much of this uptake likely occurring in native forests, NIWA scientists have discovered.