Weather hazards

This weekly update helps assess likelihood of extremely dry weather preceding a drought. Regions experiencing severely to extremely drier than normal soil conditions are deemed “hotspots”

The New Zealand Drought Monitor is a system for keeping track of drought conditions across New Zealand based on a standardised climate index.

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

Dog Island levels

Whitianga Wharf sea levels

Management of stream riparian areas - including vegetation and stock access - influences the health of streams and downstream water bodies.

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

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.

New Zealand has low-lying coastal areas that are vulnerable to inundation (flooding) by the sea.