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.

  • NIWA's Hotspot Watch 4 March 2016

    Hotspot
    Across the northern North Island, soil moisture levels have generally remained the same or increased slightly when compared to this time last week.
  • Tapping into nature’s archive of change

    Feature story
    NIWA scientists are tapping into nature’s archives to understand our abrupt climate changes.
  • NIWA's Hotspot Watch

    Hotspot
    On the North Island, soil moisture levels have generally remained the same or increased when compared to this time last week.
  • (no image provided)

    Tropical Cyclone Winston Update #3

    News article
    Tropical Cyclone Winston is showing some signs of weakening as of this morning, now located about 600km southeast of Vanuatu’s southernmost islands.
  • Tropical Cyclone Winston Update #2

    News article
    NIWA meteorologists continue to monitor the progression of Tropical Cyclone Winston.
  • NIWA's Hotspot Watch

    Hotspot
    Changes in soil moisture levels across the North Island vary when compared to this time last week, with a mixture of both increased and decreased moisture.
  • Rain, Sandflies and Takahē

    Takahē Valley in the Murchison Mountains is home to a successful Takahē recovery project run by the Department of Conservation.
  • (no image provided)

    Tropical cyclone update #2

    News article
    Niwa meteorologists continue to cast a watchful eye over two strengthening tropical cyclones in the South Pacific.
  • NIWA's Hotspot Watch

    Hotspot
    A weekly update describing soil moisture across the country to help assess whether severely to extremely dry conditions are occurring or imminent.
  • Tropical cyclone update #1

    News article
    NIWA meteorologists are monitoring the potential for ex-tropical cyclones to affect New Zealand early next week.
  • Improving seasonal climate forecasts

    Feature story
    NIWA’s climate scientists are working to improve seasonal climate forecasts.
  • NIWA's Hotspot Watch

    Hotspot
    A weekly update describing soil moisture across the country to help assess whether severely to extremely dry conditions are occurring or imminent.