Hazards

Tsunami is a Japanese word meaning great wave in harbour.

Coastal risk exposure for New Zealand, adaptation guidance for local government and relevant summaries of previous court cases and Building Act 2004 determinations.

A glossary of common climate change and meteorological terms.

River floods occur when water spills from a river channel onto land that is normally dry, and are one of New Zealand's costliest natural hazards.

Information about climate and weather and links to climate-related websites.

Stormwater poses risks to NZ’s urban streams & coastal waters, affecting ecological health & the cultural, social, & economic value of these environments.

Common questions about storms and cyclones in New Zealand.

Some commonly-asked questions about tornadoes in 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.

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?

Maps of the average first and last dates of soil moisture deficit are shown here.