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

Research

Explore

Services

Explore

Education

Explore

  • Link to source page

    David Wratt - How is sea level rise likely to affect us in the next 100 years?

    Climate change

  • Link to source page

    David Wratt - What changes in weather can we expect from climate change?

    Climate change

  • Link to source page

    NIWA's Hotspot Watch

    Hotspot
    27 November 2015
    A hotspot persists and has expanded in the Wairarapa region. In the South Island, hotspots exist in eastern Marlborough and from central Canterbury through to northeast Otago.

  • Link to source page

    NIWA's Hotspot Watch

    Hotspot
    20 November 2015
    A weekly update describing soil moisture across the country to help assess whether severely to extremely dry conditions are occurring or imminent.

  • Link to source page

    NIWA's contribution to Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment's report

    News article
    19 November 2015
    The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment has released a report warning that New Zealand needs to better prepare for rising seas on its coastal towns and cities.

  • Link to source page

    NIWA's Hotspot Watch

    Hotspot
    13 November 2015
    A weekly update describing soil moisture across the country to help assess whether severely to extremely dry conditions are occurring or imminent.

  • Link to source page

    NIWA's Hotspot Watch

    Hotspot
    06 November 2015
    A weekly update describing soil moisture across the country to help assess whether severely to extremely dry conditions are occurring or imminent.

  • Link to source page

    NIWA's Hotspot Watch

    Hotspot
    30 October 2015
    A weekly update describing soil moisture across the country to help assess whether severely to extremely dry conditions are occurring or imminent.

  • Link to source page

    (no image provided)

    Scientists let the sun shine in at Lauder

    News article
    27 October 2015
    Scientists based at NIWA’s research station in Central Otago are undertaking a new set of experiments to determine how the atmosphere affects the performance of solar panels.

  • Link to source page

    NIWA's Hotspot Watch

    Hotspot
    23 October 2015
    A weekly update describing soil moisture across the country to help assess whether severely to extremely dry conditions are occurring or imminent.

  • Link to source page

    NIWA's Hotspot Watch

    Hotspot
    16 October 2015
    A weekly update describing soil moisture across the country to help assess whether severely to extremely dry conditions are occurring or imminent.

  • Link to source page

    El Niño expected to produce severe tropical storms in the Southwest Pacific

    Media release
    14 October 2015
    Meteorological and climate analysis centres across the Southwest Pacific are indicating above average numbers of tropical cyclones (TC) for the 2015–16 season (November 2015 to April 2016).