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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    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.
  • NZ's warmest and wettest winter on record

    Media release
    NIWA’s climate scientists can now confirm what you may have suspected. After carefully poring through more than a century’s worth of data, it has been officially determined that winter 2022 was Aotearoa New Zealand’s warmest and wettest on record.
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    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.
  • Waikato

    Waikato exhibits a range of climates due to the variety of landscapes in the region.
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    Mean monthly rainfall (mm)

    These datasets are available in a range of formats.
  • Coldest seawater discovered

    Feature story
    The coldest seawater on earth could help scientists understand why Antarctic sea ice is growing in a warming world
  • Lauder Atmospheric Research Station

    UVI forecast for Specific Sites

    Check out UV index forecasts for locations in New Zealand (including ski fields), Australia, the Pacific and Antarctica.
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    Map N South

    Education Resource
    As much of this climate zone is sheltered by high country to the west, south and in some areas to the east, it is the sunniest region of New Zealand.
  • Lesson 2: Wind

    Education Resource
    Sometimes wind can feel like a bit of a mystery because we can feel it, but not see it.