NIWA

News

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

Joint German-New Zealand expedition to probe mysteries of undersea volcanoes

26 August 1998

A joint New Zealand-German marine scientific expedition costing over of $2.5 million will explore a series of undersea volcanoes including "Rumble III" 200 kilometres north of East Cape. It will also carry out geophysical surveying and seabed rock sampling along the South Pacific "Ring of Fire" in the latitudes of the southern Kermadec Islands.

Significant shift in New Zealand climate

6 August 1998

A significant shift in the New Zealand climate has occurred during the past 20 years.

Goodbye El Niño: watch for La Niña

6 July 1998

Developing atmospheric conditions in the equatorial Pacific Ocean point to La Niña weather conditions prevailing over New Zealand by Christmas according to NIWA senior climate scientist Dr Brett Mullan.

Global heatwave of 1998 affects New Zealand

15 June 1998

Climate statistics disclose that the global heatwave of 1998 is also affecting New Zealand.

NIWA global warmth and El Niño update

2 April 1998

Globally, February 1998 was the most above average month in the instrumental climate record.

Hot nor'westers tumble temperature records

25 March 1998

Extremely hot nor’westers tumbled March temperature records in Canterbury and North Otago yesterday.

El Niño gone by mid winter

9 March 1998

The current El Niño episode in the Pacific is weakening and is expected to have departed by mid-winter, according to NIWA senior climate scientist Dr Jim Salinger.

Fish kills off Kaikoura linked to toxic algae

2 March 1998

New findings by scientists at the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) have revealed that the death of kina, starfish, and possibly other fishes, in late January and early February off the Kaikoura coast appears to be linked to toxic algae.