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Read about the important science being undertaken at NIWA, and how it affects New Zealanders. 

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Five more days from the official hottest summer on record

Media Release
23 February 2018
Despite a sub-tropical storm and two ex-tropical cyclones, this summer is about to become the hottest in history.

Scientists send snapper to boot camp

Media Release
19 February 2018
At a laboratory just outside Whangarei, scientists are putting very young snapper through comprehensive physical testing - including a full medical check-up involving smell, hearing, vision, and even anxiety testing.

Warmer seas make whales more difficult to find and track

Media Release
16 February 2018
A two-week expedition to tag blue whales in New Zealand waters for the first time, almost came up empty due to warmer sea temperatures causing the animals to change their behaviour.

NIWA's Hotspot Watch for 9 February 2018

Media Release
9 February 2018
Hotspots in the North Island are located across Gisborne, the Tararua District, and in parts of west coastal Taranaki. The only hotspot in the South Island is in Southland.

NIWA's Hotspot Watch for 2 February 2018

Media Release
2 February 2018
North Island hotspots continue to be found across much of Gisborne, northern Hawke’s Bay, and Tararua west to Horowhenua and Kapiti Coast. A small hotspot has also emerged across the east coast of the Coromandel Peninsula. The only hotspot in the South Island continues to be located in Southland, but it has decreased significantly in size and strength due to the recent heavy rainfall.

Tangaroa heads to Antarctica on six-week voyage of discovery

Media Release
31 January 2018
Forty intrepid adventurers leave Wellington next week for a six-week scientific voyage to Antarctica.

NIWA's Hotspot Watch for 25 January 2018

Media Release
25 January 2018
Current North Island hotspots are found in coastal Gisborne, interior Wairoa, as well as small portions of Kapiti Coast, Horowhenua, and Tararua. The only hotspot in the South Island continues to be a sizeable one which covers much of southern and interior Otago and nearly all of Southland.

NIWA's Hotspot Watch for 19 January 2018

Media Release
19 January 2018
A weekly update describing soil moisture across the country to help assess whether severely to extremely dry conditions are occurring or imminent. Regions experiencing these soil moisture deficits are deemed “hotspots”. Persistent hotspot regions have the potential to develop into drought.

Look out for leopard seals

Media Release
15 January 2018
Beachgoers are being asked to look out for leopard seals over summer and report sightings as soon as possible.

Summer Series 2017 - Spectacular scenes under the ice

Feature story
15 January 2018
In October a team of scientists from New Zealand and Finland travelled to Antarctica for a scientific diving expedition under the ice.

NIWA's Hotspot Watch for 11 January 2018

Media Release
11 January 2018
A weekly update describing soil moisture across the country to help assess whether severely to extremely dry conditions are occurring or imminent. Regions experiencing these soil moisture deficits are deemed “hotspots”. Persistent hotspot regions have the potential to develop into drought.

Summer series 2017 - Sailing the Southern Ocean - a scientific odyssey

Media Release
11 January 2018
NIWA’s research vessel Tangaroa sets off for a six-week voyage to Antarctica in February. Six of those aboard explain what they’re doing, what they’re worried about and the one thing they wouldn’t be without.

Summer Series 2017 - Citizen scientists take on Hutt River

Feature story
8 January 2018
A group of volunteers who love the Hutt River are helping to care for it over summer.

Summer Series 2017 - A day out measuring at Molesworth

Feature story
2 January 2018
As the road behind Hanmer Springs turns to gravel and a dust cloud forms in the rear vision mirror, the southern edge of Molesworth Station unfolds.

Summer Series 2017 - Look out for these marine pests

Feature story
28 December 2017
Every year NIWA carries out numerous marine surveillance missions, surveys at ports and harbours around the country. Their divers are looking for the pests that have hitched a ride to New Zealand waters and are capable of destroying our unique ecosystems and shellfish industry.

Summer series 2017 - One fish, two fish…we're counting on you

Feature story
26 December 2017
“You almost become a fishing psychologist – you can tell by the way people walk up the ramp to get their trailer if they’ve had a good day.”

NIWA's Hotspot Watch for 21 December 2017

Media Release
21 December 2017
A weekly update describing soil moisture across the country to help assess whether severely to extremely dry conditions are occurring or imminent. Regions experiencing these soil moisture deficits are deemed “hotspots”. Persistent hotspot regions have the potential to develop into drought.

Summer Series 2017 - NIWA's Year of Weather

Feature story
21 December 2017
Four seasons with a little bit of everything. It started with the bummer summer… then came the fires, rain, flooding and a very weird November. But it’s all in a year of weather as NIWA wraps up the seasonal highlights.

Summer Series 2017 - A year of new knowledge

Feature story
19 December 2017
It’s been a year of discovery for NIWA scientists who now know more than they did 12 months ago – their top five discoveries for the year range from the bottom of the ocean to the top of the atmosphere.

Scientists explore deepest parts of the Kermadec Trench

Media Release
18 December 2017
Scientists exploring the Kermadec Trench believe they have retrieved the deepest ever sediment sample from the bottom of the ocean using a wire-deployed corer.

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