Climate & Weather

Understanding our variable and changing climate is critical for managing resources and reducing risks.

Drought forecasting dashboard

NIWA and MPI are working together to develop a new drought forecasting tool. It uses innovative climate modelling, the latest in machine learning and other data-driven techniques to predict rainfall 35 days ahead. It will help farmers and growers better prepare for periods of dryness and drought.

Climate and weather

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  • Link to source page

    Carbonate analysis

    We use various types of carbonate - e.g. aragonite from coral, otoliths (fish ear bones), bivalves (sea shells), and speleothems (limestone cave calcite) - in paleoclimate research.

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    NIWA's Hotspot Watch

    Hotspot
    29 March 2016
    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.

  • Link to source page

    NIWA's Hotspot Watch

    Hotspot
    18 March 2016
    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.

  • Link to source page

    NIWA's Hotspot Watch

    Hotspot
    11 March 2016
    A weekly update describing soil moisture across the country to help assess whether severely to extremely dry conditions are occurring or imminent.

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    Scientists attribute rising methane levels to agriculture

    Media release
    11 March 2016
    A breakthrough in understanding about the causes of climate change has today been published online in the prestigious international journal Science.
    Agriculture
    Greenhouse and trace gases

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    Scientists rediscover New Zealand’s first weather diaries

    Media release
    09 March 2016
    NIWA climate scientists studying the diaries of an early English missionary stationed in the Far North have found the oldest surviving long-term instrumental weather records made in New Zealand.

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    NIWA's Hotspot Watch 4 March 2016

    Hotspot
    04 March 2016
    Across the northern North Island, soil moisture levels have generally remained the same or increased slightly when compared to this time last week.

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    Tapping into nature’s archive of change

    Feature story
    29 February 2016
    NIWA scientists are tapping into nature’s archives to understand our abrupt climate changes.

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    NIWA's Hotspot Watch

    Hotspot
    26 February 2016
    On the North Island, soil moisture levels have generally remained the same or increased when compared to this time last week.

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    Tropical Cyclone Winston Update #3

    News article
    24 February 2016
    Tropical Cyclone Winston is showing some signs of weakening as of this morning, now located about 600km southeast of Vanuatu’s southernmost islands.

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    Tropical Cyclone Winston Update #2

    News article
    23 February 2016
    NIWA meteorologists continue to monitor the progression of Tropical Cyclone Winston.

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    NIWA's Hotspot Watch

    Hotspot
    19 February 2016
    Changes in soil moisture levels across the North Island vary when compared to this time last week, with a mixture of both increased and decreased moisture.