Climate & Weather

A climate scientist at NIWA’s Lauder Station research centre in Central Otago has stumbled across the oldest known mid-infrared spectra – scientific readings taken 30 years ago on 29 May 1985.

The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research has developed new tools that can help farmers decide when to irrigate or fertilise. But it needs farmers to test out the tools to ensure they are as practical and easy to use as possible.

For almost a century the Mason family of Feilding have been keeping a closer eye on the weather than most people. But now, at 94, Alan Mason is looking for a successor.

NIWA conducts a wide range of paleoclimate research to help us define and understand what the climate was doing before we had instruments to record it.

Long-term photographic documentation of Southern Alps glacier responses to climate variability and change.

New Zealand climate research in Climate Present and Past focuses on trends, extremes, and variability of rainfall, temperature and atmospheric circulation.

Key people involved in Climate Present & Past, including our external research partners.

Outputs and accomplishments partly or fully funded under the Climate Present and Past project in recent years.

NIWA's Climate Science Centre has released a Wellington regional climatology - "The Climate and Weather of Wellington".

An overview of historical climate work completed under Climate Present and Past project.

Sea temperatures influence mussel production, but the link between the two is not always clear. Sea temperatures have been rising globally with climate change, but temperatures also fluctuate with shorter-term climate variability, along with other factors that influence food supply for the mussels.

A World Meteorological Organisation panel has confirmed a finding that a temperature of -25.6°C observed at Eweburn, Ranfurly in New Zealand on 17 July 1903 is the coldest temperature recorded for the Southwest Pacific Region.