News

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

  • Hotspot Watch 5 December 2019

    Hotspot
    Across the North Island, notable decreases in soil moisture levels were observed from Northland to Waikato, including the Coromandel Peninsula.
  • Hottest November on record: NIWA climate scientists

    Media release
    New Zealand has just experienced its hottest November on record, according to NIWA climate scientists.
  • Hotspot Watch 28 November 2019

    Hotspot
    Across the North Island, soil moisture levels decreased island-wide during the past week due to meagre rainfall and above average temperatures.
  • Scientist pieces together details of underwater landslides

    Media release
    New information about landslides that occur on the seafloor off New Zealand’s east coast will help scientists better understand why and where they happen, and the types of threats they pose.
  • The week it snowed everywhere

    Media release
    Novel handwriting recognition project casts new light on historic weather data.
  • Hotspot Watch 20 November 2019

    Hotspot
    Across the North Island, soil moisture levels increased in many places during the past week. In the South Island, soil moisture levels generally decreased in the east and a slightly increased in the west.
  • Hotspot Watch 14 November 2019

    Hotspot
    Across the North Island, moderate to large increases in soil moisture levels were observed in most locations due to substantial rainfall in the past week. In the South Island, soil moisture levels increased everywhere during the past week, and significantly so in many places.
  • Scientists brave winter in Antarctic waters

    Media release
    The New Zealand ship Janas has recently returned from a six-week winter research voyage to the Ross Sea where scientists made the first observations of developing Antarctic toothfish embryos.
  • Hotspot Watch 6 November 2019

    Hotspot
    Across the North Island, soil moisture levels decreased everywhere during the past week due to meagre rainfall and above average temperatures. The most significant decreases were observed across the northern half of the North Island, where soil moisture levels are now below normal nearly everywhere from Northland to Waikato and Bay of Plenty.
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    NIWA to survey young snapper in Hauraki Gulf

    Media release
    NIWA is heading out into the Hauraki Gulf this month to carry out a survey of juvenile snapper– the first of its kind for 20 years.
  • Hotspot Watch 1 November 2019

    Hotspot
    Across the North Island, soil moisture levels generally decreased slightly during the past week. In the South Island, soil moisture levels decreased slightly in most locations during the past week, although slight increases were observed in coastal Otago and Southland.
  • Hot weekend awaits

    Media release
    This weekend, after a rather cool October, the beginning of November brings out the heat.