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A weekly update describing soil moisture across the country to help assess whether severely to extremely dry conditions are occurring or imminent.

Over the past week, soil moisture levels across the North Island have mostly remained the same or increased.

By day Penny Smale is a mum to two young boys, living on a rural property in the middle of a farming district in Central Otago. By night, she leaves home, walks the short distance to what is essentially a large outbuilding in a paddock, and fires lasers into the sky.

NIWA’s research vessel Kaharoa carried out a three-week voyage to deploy the first Deep Argo floats to collect data on climate change at ocean depths of about 5700m.

The Invertebrate Collection, housed at Greta Point in Wellington, comprises about 300,000 jars or specimens but only about 100,000 are officially registered. With new specimens being discovered all the time, there is a lot of work to do.

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.

Soil moisture levels across the North Island have increased significantly when compared to this time last week for eastern Northland, Auckland and Waikato regions where soil moisture levels are now normal to above normal for this time of year.

Carrying out scientific experiments in the coldest part of the world is tough — even tougher if you’re miles away from Scott Base in a shipping container. But one NIWA scientist insists it’s a lot of fun.

Looking for something tasty on your beach for holiday dinner this summer? NIWA scientists have the lowdown on some of the most mouth-watering fish and seafood that are yours for the taking.

This weekly update describes soil moisture across the country to help assess whether severely to extremely dry conditions are occurring or imminent.

Everyone knows they’re out there, but how well do you know your sharks? NIWA looks at four of the most common sharks you’re likely to spot this summer.

Soil moisture levels across the North Island have stayed largely unchanged when compared to this time last week with the exception of the Manawatu-Wanganui region and Central Hawke’s Bay where soil moisture decreased