Weather hazards

Damming water for urban use, hydro-electric power generation, irrigation, and other industrial and commercial uses.

Understanding how hazards impact people and the environment provides the foundation for informed decision making for a resilient Pacific.

Floods are not unusual in New Zealand, but those that hit us early this winter broke records. Why did they occur? Should we expect more? Can we predict future floods?

Heavy rainfall is one of the most frequent and widespread severe weather hazards to affect New Zealand.

Due to its position in the 'Roaring Forties', a belt of strong winds in the Southern Hemisphere which generally occur between the latitudes of 40 and 49 degrees, as well as its small size, New Zealand is a windy country.

Scientists will be knocking on doors in Edgecumbe next week seeking to survey the damage done to buildings from recent flooding caused when a stopbank on the Rangitaiki River breached.

A new tool to monitor drought conditions across New Zealand has been launched today by NIWA.

There was a common factor in the floods that hit swathes of New Zealand midway through this year – they were all forecastable.

Cyclone Pam’s furious flight path across the South Pacific in March this year illustrated the danger natural hazards pose to life, livelihoods and infrastructural development in the region.

New Zealanders have just experienced one of the driest summers on record – great for beachgoers and cricket lovers, but far from ideal for farmers and orchardists relying on rain to maintain productivity.

New Zealand will get hotter, have more heavy rainfalls, and experience more days when the fire risk is extreme, the latest international report on climate change impacts reveals.