New Zealand’s coast is sculpted by ocean waves. Some wave conditions bring joy to surfers and beachgoers, but, at other times, waves can cause major hazards at sea or along the shore.

West Coast is New Zealand’s wettest region, and this may be attributed to its exposure to the predominant westerly airflow over the country, combined with the orographic effect of the Southern Alps.

A monthly summary of the climate in the tropical South Pacific islands, with an outlook for the coming months.

Raglan B Cam-era station

Tuna are found in all sorts of habitats (places), including coastal estuaries, lakes, wetlands, rivers, mountain streams and even alpine tarns.

The seafood counter at your local supermarket has changed.

The current method for calculating wind speed-up is inadequate, and can grossly under-predict correct design wind speeds in NZ's complex terrain.

Short-term to long-term data estimation

NIWA has transformed 1.5 million square kilometres of data into the most accurate and detailed map yet of the land underneath the sea around New Zealand.

The High Performance Computing Facility (HPCF) is supercharging New Zealand science.

Drought is a common feature of New Zealand's climate. On average, every year or two somewhere in New Zealand experiences a drought.