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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    New Zealand Drought Monitor

    Service
    The New Zealand Drought Monitor is a system for keeping track of drought conditions across New Zealand based on a standardised climate index.
    Climate and weather
    Climate data
    Weather forecasting

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    Daily climate maps

    These climate maps are updated daily and are based on data from our National Climate Database.

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    Mean daily maximum temperatures (°C)

    These datasets are available in a range of formats.

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    National

    National climate maps
    Climate and weather

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    El Niño maps and charts

    View a collection of maps showing the impact of past El Niño and La Niña events.

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    Map E South

    Education Resource
    The climate of this zone is greatly dependent on the lie of the massive Southern Alps to the west.
    Climate and weather

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    NIWA staff profile: Nava Fedaeff

    Feature story
    06 June 2017
    At the age of seven, NIWA’s youngest climate scientist, Nava Fedaeff, swapped sub-arctic Siberia for balmy Auckland – and her first job was to learn to swim.

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    Edgecumbe flood damage

    Climate change
    Floods

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    Tropical Cyclone Cook churning across Pacific

    Media release
    10 April 2017
    NIWA meteorologist Seth Carrier outlines the likely path of Cyclone Cook, which is gaining strength in the Pacific.

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    Tropical Torrent by the numbers

    Media release
    07 April 2017
    The Tropical Torrent that spread over New Zealand this week, produced up to three times the normal April rainfall for some locations in three days, NIWA forecaster Ben Noll says.

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    Tropical Torrent takes aim at New Zealand

    Media release
    31 March 2017
    After thrashing Australia, what’s left of ex-Tropical Cyclone Debbie is forecast to slowly move across the Tasman Sea over the weekend and soak New Zealand next week.

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    NIWA's Hotspot Watch for 30 March 2017

    Hotspot
    30 March 2017
    The final weekly update for the 2016-17 summer describing soil moisture across the country to help assess whether severely to extremely dry conditions are occurring or imminent.