Climate

Information about our varying climate is critical for managing resources and reducing risks.

Climate services

NIWA's National Climate Centre offers a range of commercial consultancy services to government, businesses and individuals.

Climate information and resources

At NIWA we believe knowledge is there to be shared, which is why we make as much information as we can publicly available.

Special Climate Statement - record warmth in the Tasman Sea, New Zealand and Tasmania

27 March 2018

Sea surface temperatures in the southern Tasman Sea rose to exceptionally high levels in late 2017 and early 2018. These temperatures were far above any others previously observed at that time of year in the region, and extended west from New Zealand to Tasmania and mainland southeast Australia. In parallel with this, land temperatures were well above average in areas near the Tasman Sea warm anomalies, with many records set both in New Zealand and in southeast Australia (especially Tasmania).

Download: Special Climate Statement - record warmth in the Tasman Sea, New Zealand and Tasmania [PDF, 1.5MB]

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National and regional climate maps

Maps of average annual rainfall, temperature and other climate variables have been produced for all of New Zealand, based on the period 1981–2010.

Climate change scenarios for New Zealand

Projections of how climate change is likely to affect New Zealand.

Overview of New Zealand's climate

Find information about New Zealand's temperature record and climate change in our information and resources section.

The record summer of 2017/18

Feature story
30 April 2018
Less than a week before the official end of summer on 28 February, temperatures dropped and a cool breeze made a whistle-stop tour of the country.

Intensity of cyclones predicted to increase

5 October 2017
Tropical cyclones forming in the south-west Pacific are becoming less frequent but those that do form are likely to be more severe.

Solutions: Regional climate change

Feature story
20 April 2018
As climate change takes hold, regional council planning, sustainability and hazard managers are looking to NIWA for help to understand how their communities will be affected.

Winters much shorter than they once were, says NIWA

8 November 2017

New Zealand winters are a month shorter than they were 80 years ago, NIWA scientists say.

“This is a consequence of rising temperatures around the globe, and such trends in colder temperatures and frosts will influence the life cycle of plants and animals” - Dr Brett Mullan.

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