On 1 July 2025, NIWA merged with GNS Science to become Earth Sciences New Zealand.

Annual

Annual Climate Summaries from 2000 to present.

Read NIWA's annual climate summaries, going back to the year 2000. Each summary contains information on a single year's overall climate conditions, sunshine, temperature, soil moisture, and temperature. 

Issues

  • 2024 Annual Climate Summary

    Annual Climate Summary 2024

    Annual Climate Summary 2024
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    Annual Climate Summary 2023

    2023: New Zealand’s second warmest year on record
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    Annual Climate Summary 2022

    2022: New Zealand’s warmest year on record, again.
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    Annual Climate Summary 2021

    2021: New Zealand’s warmest year on record
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    Annual Climate Summary 2020

    2020: New Zealand’s 7th-warmest year on record
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    Annual Climate Summary 2019

    2019: New Zealand’s 4th-warmest year on record
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    Annual Climate Summary 2018

    2018: New Zealand’s equal-2nd warmest year on record
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    Annual Climate Summary 2017

    A year of weather extremes across New Zealand
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    Annual Climate Summary 2016

    The year 2016: New Zealand’s warmest on record
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    Annual Climate Summary 2015

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    Annual Climate Summary 2014

    Near normal rainfall and near average temperatures for most of the country.
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    Annual Climate Summary 2013

    Third-warmest year on record for New Zealand.
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    Annual Climate Summary 2012

    Slightly cooler than average for most areas .
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    Annual Climate Summary 2011

    The year 2011 will be remembered as one of extremes.
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    Annual Climate Summary 2010

    2010 Annual Climate Summary
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    2009

    New Zealand’s climate for 2009 was characterised by frequent see-saws in temperature.
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    2008

    sunny and warm, but a rollercoaster year for extremes.
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    2007

    Much drier than average in many places, but disastrous floods in Northland. Drought, destructive tornadoes, windstorms, variable temperatures.
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    2006

    Severe winter snowstorms; floods, wind storms, destructive tornadoes; variable temperatures, yet sunny overall.
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    2005

    Much warmer, with more anticyclones and less wind than normal; very low rainfall in the South Island; catastrophic floods and extremely high rainfall in Bay of Plenty; destructive tornadoes; an unseasonable late snowstorm.
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    2004

    Very stormy at times; devastating floods and extremely high rainfall in several North Island regions; high winds and late winter blizzards; very wet in some areas and cool.
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    2003

    Many extreme events; record low rainfall and cool in parts of Otago; wet in Coromandel; record sunshine in the South Island and in the lower North Island.
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    2002

    Numerous extreme events and El Niño returns; low rainfall in Bay of Plenty; Marlborough and Nelson cool inland; mild in Waikato and the northern South Island; average or above average sunshine.
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    2001

    Extremely low annual rainfall in the eastern South Island and parts of the lower North Island, despite wet end-of-year conditions; severe summer–autumn drought, mid-winter freeze; many other extreme events.