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.

NIWA collects wave data, develops and verifies wave forecasting systems, and is developing and producing wave projections.

NIWA’s climate scientists can now confirm what you may have suspected. After carefully poring through more than a century’s worth of data, it has been officially determined that winter 2022 was Aotearoa New Zealand’s warmest and wettest on record.

NIWA's goal is to provide the science to help New Zealanders transition to a sustainable future.

NIWA operates about 30 other Maritime New Zealand-certified vessels based at Bream Bay, Auckland, Hamilton, Rotorua, Turangi, Wellington, Nelson, Greymouth, Tekapo, Christchurch, and Dunedin.

Find out more about our water quality tools.

Follow NIWA's scientists as they explore the natural world, make new discoveries and share how people use their science.

How do hydro-electricity activities potentially influence waterway temperatures?

Waikato exhibits a range of climates due to the variety of landscapes in the region.

Tsunami is a Japanese word meaning great wave in harbour.

NIWA is leading a new six-year research project that seeks to increase our understanding of piharau/kanakana/lamprey, using Mātauranga Māori, social science and biophysical science approaches.

Virtual climate station estimates are produced every day, based on the spatial interpolation of actual data observations made at climate stations located around the country.