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Weather

What determines weather, climate and the seasons? These resources cover the causes for extreme weather and also weather forecasting, weather activities, meteorology and climate change.

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When it's windy

When it's windy

It's invisible but that doesn't mean you can't see it.

A weather-related artwork by Ethel Spowers.

Snow days as experienced by New Zealanders through the years. Community content sourced from APNK-hosted Kete around New Zealand. http://www.aotearoapeoplesnetwork.org/content/kete

Weather on other planets

Weather on other planets

Take a journey into space to see the weather on other planets.

Weather factors

The factors that determine our weather.

Weather with you

Weather with you

A popular song by Crowded House.

New Zealand’s weather is shaped by mountains, oceans, and winds.

A weather chart from 1894.

Recording the weather

Recording the weather

Article about recording weather from 1964.

A photograph taken by Brian Brake.

The Wind Wand is a 48-metre kinetic sculpture located in New Plymouth, New Zealand. The sculpture includes a 45-metre tube of red fibreglass, and was made to designs by artist Len Lye. To residents...

Wind is a fast-growing source of power in New Zealand.

Mechanics Bay meteorological station

Mechanics Bay meteorological station

Showing an unidentified man studying a computer print-out at the Mechanics Bay Meterological Station

A resident who saw his front yard quickly fill up with water in yesterday's widespread flooding had to rip the bars out of a window to get to safety.

Rescue sparks warning about checking weather

Today's rescue of six people from snow in Kahurangi National Park is another reminder for people to check the weather before venturing into the wilderness, police say.

Extreme weather

NZ's year of extreme weather.

Weather balloon

Weather balloon

In this photograph we see a meteorologist filling a 1000 gram weather balloon with hydrogen. Weather balloons record data like atmospheric wind and temperature throughout the lower layers of the at...

Volunteers at work

Volunteers at work

A Wellington volunteer search and rescue team carries a tramper suffering from hypothermia.

The hole in the ozone

The hole in the ozone

Ozone healing could reduce skin cancers and sunburn.

Before we had advanced equipment to predict and monitor weather patterns, people used animals such as, frogs and sheep, (and even ladybugs) to predict the weather. Sheep can sense minute atmospheri...

Pedestrians battling strong winds

Pedestrians battling strong winds

Heat from the sun makes wind. The sun’s energy heats the air and as it becomes warmer, it becomes lighter and rises, allowing colder, heavier air to rush in as wind.

Blowdry hairdos

Blowdry hairdos

The weather is a popular topic of conversation. In New Zealand it can be '4 seasons in one day'. It could be wet and windy one day, and lovely and sunny the next, just as we see in this cartoon by ...

This cartoon refers to the storm that took place in Northland between 18-20 March, 2012, which delivered 2 months of rain in parts of the region in 2 days and caused $4 million of damage. Storms fo...

30 freaky facts about weather

30 facts about the world’s weather.

How is the weather? song

Weather song for kids

An article that provides information about meteorology.

A video weather forecast for New Zealand.

Weather for kids

Experiments, video, games, images, projects, and quizzes related to weather.

Water cycle song video

Introduces the water cycle, including evaporation, condensation, and rainfall.

Climate change and global warming

Article about climate change and global warming.

A site looking at thunderstorms, hurricanes, tornadoes, and blizzards.

The NZ Metservice gives current New Zealand weather forecasts.

How do you make a weather satellite?

Provides information about weather satellites in space.

What is the weather like on other planets?

Article about the weather on other planets.

What creates severe weather?

Treehouse weather kids

Interactive website providing information about weather.

Extreme weather activities

Activities related to extreme weather.

Weather experiments

A website containing a number of experiments related to weather.

Everything you need to know about rainbows.

Weather and climate

NASA website that provides information about weather and climate.

Learn about meteorology, climatology, and atmospheric physics.

Antarctic weather

Most of Antarctica is a high, flat plateau of ice covered in snow.

Climate and weather

FAQs about climate and weather, including links to useful websites.

What are clouds?

A cloud is made of water drops or ice crystals floating in the sky.

World meteorological day

Article about world meteorological day.

A weather poem by New Zealand poet Allen Curnow.

Outlook for Thursday

Outlook for Thursday

This weather-themed Kiwi classic spent 21 weeks in the charts, and became one of DD Smash's biggest hits. The quirky, light-hearted video was played repeatedly on Saturday chart show Ready to Roll,...

Weather forecasting

The study of meteorology in New Zealand.

New Zealand weather map

Map of New Zealand shows areas of high and low atmospheric pressure.

Weather – literacy learning links

This teacher resource lists selected articles from the Connected and School Journal reading series that support science concepts when teaching about the weather.

The Science of... snow

What, exactly, is snow? Alison Ballance straps on her skis and heads to the slopes of Mount Ruapehu in search of some snowy answers.

Get ready: storms

Find out what to do before, during and after a storm.

The science of lightning with Chris Brandolino

NIWA meteorologist Chris Brandolino answers questions about lightning.

The history of floods in NZ.

Climate frequently asked questions

NIWA answers climate-related questions.

EPIC – Britannica School: Weather

Includes elements of weather, storms, weather instruments, and observation and prediction.

Beyond reasonable drought: New Zealand's climate future

2020 - Auckland’s dams are half-empty and huge swathes of the country are reeling from one of the deepest droughts New Zealand has ever experienced.

Many Answers: Weather

Weather describes the condition of the air at a particular time and place. It is made up of different things such as, wind direction, wind force, precipitation, temperature, sunshine, visibility an...

Working as a meteorologist

Lisa Murray is a Communication & Consultant Meteorologist at MetService, New Zealand.

What causes weather

Information, images and a quiz about the causes of weather from DKfindout!

Common climate and weather terms

Confused about El Niño, or can't tell the difference between an Anticyclone and an Isobar? NIWA can help.

Be aware of the weather

New Zealand’s changeable weather conditions frequently catch out the unprepared.

Observing clouds and weather

One of the easiest ways to predict weather is to look at the clouds. Different clouds mean different types of weather.

What causes lightning and thunder?

Lightning begins as static charges in a rain cloud.

A drought is a sustained period of low rainfall. This article from NIWA includes facts, photos and links to other relevant information.

The difference between weather and climate change

Dr Neil deGrasse Tyson, astrophysicist demonstrates the difference between weather and climate change as he walks along the beach with a dog.

Tāwhirimātea – the weather

New Zealand’s rapid weather changes, frequent rain, distinctive cloud patterns and strong winds all had a huge influence on the daily life of Māori.

What is the water cycle?

Water can be found all over Earth in the ocean, on land and in the atmosphere. The water cycle is the path that all water follows as it moves around our planet.

Common questions about clouds, how they are formed and how they behave.

Māori ways of knowing – weather and climate

Knowledge of tohu – biophysical indicators – has been passed down from tūpuna over many generations.

Met Office : Explore our resources for schools

Discover maths, science and more through weather and climate.

Facts and science on climate change, how our activities are contributing to climate change and how climate change affects New Zealand.

Top results for Weather from AnyQuestions

The weather

Contains useful links to websites about the weather.

Senior Primary

Climate Change

Many Answers has suggested links with guidelines on global warming.

Junior Secondary

Ecosystems (junior)

Ecosystems (junior)

An ecosystem is made up of all of the living things and natural features in an area. These could be animals, plants,...

Junior Primary

Māori legends

Many Answers has relevant links to Māori myths and legends.

Senior Primary

See all 14 related entries on AnyQuestions