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

Stratocumulus and Altocumulus

An aerial image showing a layer of stratocumulus below a layer of altocumulus. Stratocumulus is usually found at altitudes below 2,400m, and altocumulus is a grey mid-altitude cloud which forms between 2400m and 6000mm. Photo taken by Dave Allen in 2012.