Weather hazards

NIWA plays a pivotal role in weather hazards research, providing critical information and tools for assessing, monitoring, and managing weather-related risks and impacts.

  • Hotspot Watch 27 February 2020

    Hotspot
    Across the North Island, slight soil moisture increases were observed during the past week as a front brought much needed rain to drought affected areas. However, soil moisture levels continue to be well below normal across the vast majority of the island. Across the South Island, soil moisture levels generally increased in the north and decreased in the south during the past week.
  • Auckland set to break dry spell record

    Media release
    Auckland is set to break a climate record on Saturday for the region’s longest dry spell, according to NIWA forecasters.
  • Hotspot Watch 12 February 2020

    Hotspot
    Across the North Island, the past week once again featured little if any rainfall for most locations. Soil moisture levels in the lower South Island have improved markedly from last week.
  • Forecast shows Auckland region to stay dry

    Media release
    Aucklanders should not expect any decent rain for more than 10 days, says NIWA principal scientist and forecaster Chris Brandolino.
  • The man of many pathways

    Feature story
    Dr Rob Bell worked out a long time ago that sea-level rise is much more than a scientific problem. No wonder then that people say his ability to listen is one of his best traits.
  • Weathering new technology in Tonga

    Feature story
    There are about 800km between the southern and northern tips of Tonga - and a lot of ocean.
  • Hotspot Watch 19 December 2019

    Hotspot
    Across the North Island, moderate to large increases in soil moisture levels were observed in many locations due to substantial rainfall in the past week. Across the South Island, substantial rainfall contributed to moderate to large increases in soil moisture levels in the vast majority of the island.
  • The week it snowed everywhere

    Media release
    Novel handwriting recognition project casts new light on historic weather data.
  • Adaptive futures: a serious game for climate change adaptation

    Research Project
    NIWA is using serious games to look at problems holistically, support understanding and give a framework for climate change adaptation decision-making.
  • Rare weather phenomenon possible

    Media release
    NIWA meteorologists are keeping an eye on an unusual atmospheric phenomenon that is amassing in the polar stratosphere.
  • New reports highlight flood risk under climate change

    Media release
    Two reports released today by NIWA and the Deep South National Science Challenge reveal new information about how many New Zealanders, how many buildings and how much infrastructure could be affected by extreme river and coastal flooding from storms and sea-level rise.
  • New Zealand to have world-leading hazard risk modelling tool

    Media release
    EQC, GNS Science and NIWA have joined forces to further develop world-leading natural hazards risk modelling for New Zealand.