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NOVEMBER NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS (Met Society News email)
Fireworks beamed across the planet
1 November 2007
Up to 100,000 Wellingtonians are expected to descend upon the central city on Monday evening for the Pelorus Trust Sky Show, but for those who won’t be able to make it, the MetService will make the display accessible to all internet users.
Homesick expats across the globe will be able to log on to the MetService website and see live footage of the fireworks over their morning coffee.
MetService Market Manager, Craig Delany says there is a buzz of excitement about their Wellington live streaming camera.
“The webcam provides visitors to our site with a live, north to south 180 degree panning shot from the roof of the MetService building up here in Kelburn. We aim to have several cameras showing different views of Monday’s fireworks live to housebound residents, or anyone out of the city at the time,” he says.
A recorded version will be also placed on the MetService website, www.metservice.com
The Sky Show starts at 9pm and will run for about 15 minutes to a soundtrack broadcast on Classic Hits.
For those who can make it in to the city on the night, the best points to view the fireworks are from the waterfront and surrounding hills. Boating spectators looking for a good viewing spot are asked to keep 300m away from the barges and keep their boat speed to a maximum of five knots.
Blenheim threatens to steal crown for sunshine hours
The Nelson Mail | Friday, 2 November 2007
Nelson ' s reign as the sunniest place in New Zealand is under threat with Blenheim receiving more than 50 extra hours of sunshine so far this year.
Nelson weather forecaster John Mathieson said that as of 9am Thursday, Nelson had received 2010.6 sunshine hours, while rival Blenheim had received 2062.1 hours.
"We have the last two months to make up the deficit or fall on our sword."
Rainfall in Nelson is also almost 20 percent down on average, with 661mm so far this year.
Rain dampens cracker chaos
By PRISCILLA DUNCAN - Whangarei Leader | Tuesday, 13 November 2007
ALL ABLAZE: A Ruakaka firefighter on Guy Fawkes night helps to control a fire on Pyle St which covered a hectare of scrub and lit the night sky.
The Fire Service may have the weather to thank for slightly fewer firework-related call-outs this year but some Northland stations were kept busy.
Since fireworks went on sale on November 2, there have been 18 call-outs across Northland directly attributed to fireworks and 10 jobs indirectly linked to Guy Fawkes events, says Northland fire safety officer Craig Bain. The numbers are slightly down on previous years, probably because Monday night ' s weather was poor. But Ruakaka had one of its busiest Guy Fawkes nights.
Law changes meant the sale window for fireworks dropped from 10 days to four days while the legal age to buy fireworks rose from age 14 to 18.
Man survives close encounter with menacing waterspout
By PAUL GORMAN - The Press | Wednesday, 14 November 2007
A menacing, spinning wall of cloud forced Christchurch resident Bernie Shapiro to flee for safety as it roared onshore near Birdlings Flat yesterday.
The waterspout – the nautical equivalent of a tornado but generally weaker – formed on the underside of a developing thunderstorm off the Kaitorete Spit about 2pm.
Shapiro, still shaken from his encounter with the waterspout an hour later, said the wind was strong enough to rock his Land Rover "on to almost two wheels".
"I looked out to sea and a great big, black object started lancing down. It hit the sea and turned a really, really dark grey colour and I realised it was a waterspout.
"I started up the Land Rover and took off, getting the hell out of there."
MetService spokesman Paul Mallinson said the waterspout was part of the forecast storm activity that crossed Canterbury .
Blades bring cold comfort
By GARRY SHEERAN - Sunday Star Times | Sunday, 4 November 2007
Steve Haslett admits that if climate scientists are right, he will be out of business.
But in the meantime orchardists and winemakers in New Zealand and around the world are buying his wind machines as insurance against crop-killing frosts.
For winemaker Chris Archer of Alana Estate, Martinborough, the technology is an alternative to hiring helicopters when disaster threatens. "Seven years ago we didn ' t see any frosts in Martinborough, but now we get seven or eight a season," he said.
Niwa ' s Jim Salinger sees things differently, pointing out that the incidence of frosts declined steadily through last century. "We are still analysing data since 2000, but with global warming we will get fewer frosts, not more," he said.
But among orchardists and vineyard owners, the apparent randomness of frost attacks attracts all the rumour, myth and speculation accorded to climate change itself.
NZ Winegrowers figures show frosts last year cut 30% of Central Otago ' s wine production. In the Wairarapa, they will be watching hard on November 20. "An unexpected frost on that night last year wiped out 70% of some people ' s crops," Archer said. “And for the region ' s globally marketed pinot noirs, that could spell disaster.
Marlborough wine-makers have less reason to worry about frosts, but several weeks ago more than 100 helicopters were airborne even there.
Haslett identified the single-focussed nature of the FrostBoss Wind Machines as the major weakness of the business when he bought it six months ago. If global warming does mean no more frosts, "then we really are out of business". But he believes climate change may also mean more extremes, especially in the shorter term.
"Winemakers are also now planting more marginal land further up the valleys where it is colder and more frost-prone," he said.
On the plus side for Haslett is the fact that FrostBoss is a niche business with an exceptional product in global terms. Americans started making wind machines to combat the effect of frost on crops more than 20 years ago. That was where New Zealander Kim McAulay saw them, and he started importing them to New Zealand in 1992.
With help from former Team NZ aerodynamic engineer Richard Karn, FrostBoss developed a four-blade wind machine quiet enough to comply with the Resource Management Act.
Bloom goes off vineyard profits
By NICK CHURCHOUSE - The Dominion Post | Wednesday, 14 November 2007
SOUR TASTE: Martinborough ' s Te Kairanga vineyard blames climate change and the volatility of the New Zealand dollar after posting a $2.17 million loss.
Changeable weather and fluctuating currencies have marred Te Kairanga ' s vineyard ' s last harvest, as it tries to shore up future seasons with more grapes and more experience.
The Martinborough vineyard posted a $2.17 million loss for the year to June 30, with chairman Roger Taylor blaming climate change and the volatility of the New Zealand dollar for the result.
Mr Taylor said the forecast was not for smooth sailing, as the changing climate was creating uncertainty for vineyards. "There is more variation in climate, and in recent years we have had to put more and more frost protection in."
Cooler temperatures in most of New Zealand ' s grape-growing areas were affecting harvests, he said.
Ferries delayed by 6m swells
Herald Wednesday November 14, 2007
Photo / Mark Mitchell
Interisland ferries are being delayed by swells of up to 6m on Cook Strait as a strong storm passes over the capital.
Passengers on the Interislander are all being advised of 90-minute delays to their sailing times.
Gusts of up to 130km/h have been battering the North Island since last night.
The MetService advises the worst of the winds are easing for Auckland , the Coromandel Peninsula and Wellington , with severe weather warnings for those areas lifted.
However, a deep low has developed east of New Zealand , and severe gales affecting exposed coastal parts of Hawke's Bay are expected to spread to coastal Gisborne as far north as Tokomaru Bay this afternoon.
In these areas, south to southwest winds are likely to gust 130km/h in exposed places until late this afternoon.
The MetService warns the winds have the potential to damage trees and powerlines, lift insecure roofs, and make driving hazardous.
The winds are expected to ease this evening.
Police have warned motorists to take extreme care due to bad weather on State Highway 1 from Taihape through the Desert Road .
By thunder what a great show
GREER McDONALD Dominion Post - Wellington | Thursday, 15 November 2007
©CHRISTIAN JARA
SOUND AND LIGHT: The electrical storm created spectacular scenes but also caused problems.
Wild weather that unleashed a spectacular electrical storm also wreaked havoc on commuters, creating a horror landing at Wellington airport and a Cook Strait swell that delayed ferries.
And a man in Tawa, Wellington , was crushed by a falling tree yesterday.
Lightning, house-rattling thunder, strong winds and heavy rain hit Wellington on Tuesday night. MetService spokeswoman Liz Haslam said the thunder was louder than normal because the storm rolled right over the city, and was accompanied by hail.
"The sound level depends on how big the storm is, but it has the ability to shake houses, like last night. You can feel it through your body."
Ms Haslam said the light show, caused by both sheet and fork lightning, was spectacular.
" Wellington doesn't get thunder storms much, so it's exciting when it happens."
In Tawa, a surveyor was injured when he was hit by a falling tree at the motorway on-ramp yesterday morning. The 55-year-old man was taken to Wellington Hospital with moderate back injuries. Firefighters had to cut away part of the tree to let ambulance officers treat him.
The chaos was caused by a deep low that developed east of New Zealand , and a very strong south-to-southwest airstream that covered the North Island .
UN Warning on global warming
TVNZ Sun, 18 Nov 2007
The United Nations panel of climate scientists has issued its starkest warning yet on global warming. In a final report the scientists say ' there is no doubt global warming is man-made, and it ' s taking the planet to the brink of an irreversible environmental disaster.
This was the release of the fourth United Nations report on climate change, but it ' s the shortest and has the strongest language. In just 27 pages the scientists have agreed, man-made carbon emission are sowing the seeds of a catastrophe. * 11 of last 12 years are warmest on record.
* global sea level rising.
* snow cover and glaciers are declining.
* cold days and nights less frequent, heat waves more frequent.
* tropical cyclones more frequent.
Global warming could mean the extinction of 30 percent species, water shortages for 25 million people, and tropical diseases spreading to areas that never had them.
This is a scientific report for the politicians, it says. This benchmark report will be debated in Bali meeting next month. 130 nations are meeting to start negotiating a new global agreement on cutting carbon emissions.
New Zealand Glaciers Shrinking
NZPA: November 19 2007
The Tasman Lake at the bottom of the Lower Tasman Glacier
New Zealand’s glaciers are shrinking and twelve of the largest glaciers in the Southern Alps are unlikely to return to their earlier lengths without extraordinary cooling of the climate.
Research released by the National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research (NIWA) today shows that the volume of ice in the Southern Alps has reduced by about 5.8 cubic kilometres, or almost 11%, in the past 20 years. More than 90% of this loss is from 12 of the largest glaciers in response to rising temperatures over the 20th century. The glaciers have passed a threshold, causing the ice to collapse and creating large lakes at their base, the report said.
The overall shrinkage is despite almost no change in the position of the ‘End of Summer Snowline’ at the top of the Southern Alps glaciers recorded in NIWA’s latest aerial survey.
The shrinkage is occurring further down on the trunks of the bigger glaciers which have been lowering for over a century. These have now passed a threshold, where the ice is collapsing, rapidly expanding lakes at the foot of the glaciers. The shrinkage is creating some spectacular ice cliffs that are calving into the lakes.
“With future warming, significant melting of the glaciers is likely to continue,” says NIWA Principal Scientist Dr Jim Salinger.
“The twelve big glaciers with these pro-glacial lakes have passed a ‘tipping point’. It is not yet clear whether the glaciers will disappear completely with future warming, but they are set to shrink further as they adjust to today’s climate. And it is already clear that they will not return to their earlier lengths without extraordinary cooling of the climate because the large lakes now block their advance.”
The twelve glaciers are: Tasman, Godley, Murchison, Classen, Mueller, Hooker, Ramsay, Volta/Therma, La Perouse, Balfour, Grey, and Maud.
In comparison, New Zealand ’s smaller glaciers, especially those west of the Main Divide, are somewhat unusual because they have their source in areas of extremely high precipitation. So, for instance, these glaciers advanced during most of the 1980s and 1990s when the area experienced about a 15% increase in precipitation, associated with more El Niño events. In most of the rest of the world (with the exception of parts of Norway ), glaciers tend to be in areas of lower precipitation, so rising temperatures are affecting the glaciers there more directly and sooner.
“The iconic Franz Josef glacier is still much shorter now than in 1900,” says Dr Salinger. “Franz Josef glacier retreated about 400 metres from 2000–2005, then advanced 170 metres to 2007, but this recent gain does not compensate for the large overall losses seen over the past century.”
BACKGROUND
Overall ice volume shrinks, 1976–2005
Ice volume in the Southern Alps has decreased by 6 km3 (almost 11%) in the past 20 years..
1976 volume = 54.60 km3
2005 volume = 48.74 km3
Volume lost = 5.86 km3
Percentage lost = 10.73%
Source: Ongoing research by Dr Jim Salinger and Andrew Willsman (NIWA), Dr Trevor Chinn (Alpine & Polar Research), and Professor Blair Fitzharris ( University of Otago ).
Processes involved in glacier shrinkage:
Formation & growth of ‘proglacial’ lakes: ice melting at the foot of glaciers & meltwater forming lakes. Some chunks of ice ‘calve’ off glaciers into the lakes (like ice bergs)
‘Down-wasting’ of the glacier trunk: ice melts from the top surface of the trunk.
Trunks go from their original convex shape to near-straight or even concave.
(Convex: if you walked from one side to the other, it would be like walking up & down a slight hill. Concave: if you walked from one side to the other, it would be like walking into & up out of a slight hollow).
Change in mass-balance: resulting from the amount of snow that falls and the amount that melts during a season, based on end of summer snowline surveys.
The bulk of ice volume loss comes from calving into pro-glacial lakes and trunk down-wasting of 12 of NZ’s largest glaciers. These are all east of the Main Divide.
Only 10% of total ice volume loss is due to changes in mass-balance.
Is this shrinkage the result of global warming?
Yes, but different glaciers have different response times:
- Mean response time for Southern Alps glaciers = about 12 years.
- Range of response times for Southern Alps glaciers = about 5 –150 years.
The pace of total ice loss from the Southern Alps is slower now than in the earlier 20th century because the many smaller glaciers responded very quickly to the rapid warming that occurred in NZ climate around the 1950s.
Smaller glaciers:
- Most already show the effects of much of the warming in the 20th century (about 1ºC).
- Show only slight volume loss since 1977 because regional precipitation has increased.
Larger glaciers, especially east of the Main Divide:
- Response times for these glaciers are over 80 years.
- They are still adjusting to warming that began during the early 20th century.
Little change at the top: “End of Summer Snowline” survey
The Southern Alps glaciers monitored annually by NIWA showed little change in ice mass in the year to March 2007. (Source: Aerial survey of 50 indicator glaciers, conducted at the end of summer each year since 1977)..
“There was more snowfall than usual in the Southern Alps during winter and spring 2006 when more depressions (‘lows’) to the south east of the country and anticyclones (‘highs’) in the Tasman Sea brought more frequent episodes of south westerly winds. This was counterbalanced by more anticyclones over summer which produced very dry clear conditions resulting in more snowmelt than usual,” says NIWA Principal Scientist Dr Jim Salinger.
The higher the snow line, the more snow has been lost to feed the glacier; the lower the snowline the more snow has been gained to feed the glacier. On average, the snow line this year was 6 metres below where it would be to keep the ice mass constant – a very small overall change.
Note: These results do not include the effects of this past (2007) winter.
Global trends & comparison with New Zealand
Globally, most glaciers are retreating.
Of the glaciers for which there are continuous data from the World Glacier Monitoring Service, the mean annual loss in ice thickness since 1980 remains close to half a metre per year. The Service has said that the loss in ice mass “leaves no doubt about the accelerating change in climatic conditions”. For world glacier data, see www.geo.unizh.ch/wgms
New Zealand’s glaciers are more complicated because some have their source in areas of extremely high precipitation.
West of the Main Divide in the Southern Alps , more than 10 metres (10,000 mm) of precipitation falls each year as clouds are pushed up over the sharply rising mountain ranges. This means the mass of New Zealand ’s glaciers is sensitive to changing wind and precipitation patterns as well as to temperature. So, for example, the glaciers advanced during most of the 1980s and 1990s when the area experienced about a 15% increase in precipitation, associated with more El Niño events and stronger westerly winds over New Zealand . The glaciers in parts of Norway are similar.
Huge drop in carbon emissions needed
By Paul Gorman - The Press | Monday, 19 November 2007
David Parker
Action is essential in the next two to three decades if the world is to avert runaway climate change accompanied by wild weather, plant and animal extinction and rapidly rising sea levels, according to an international report.
The last of this year ' s series of reports from the Intergovernmental Panelon Climate Change (IPCC) warns that even if greenhouse gas levels steadied soon, man-made warming and sea-level rise would continue for centuries.
Carbon dioxide emissions worldwide would need to be 50 per cent to 80% below those of 2000 to restrict global warming to only 2deg above pre-industrial levels.
Approved early yesterday morning in Valencia , Spain , the "synthesis report" summarises the findings of the three other reports released this year.
National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa) principal scientist Dr Jim Renwick said yesterday that the challenge would be for the world to pull together on reducing the effects of climate change.
The IPCC findings would be presented at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bali next month, where countries would negotiate on what might happen after the Kyoto Protocol ' s first commitment period ends in 2012.
"We need some international consensus where China and the rest, the United States , Australia , everybody, joins into do something, then there ' ll be no hard feelings about why we ' re doing this."
Renwick agreed it was difficult to think of an example where the whole world had agreed to work together on an issue before.
It was not too late to make a difference, but in another 30 to 50 years it might be, he said..
"Time ' s running out. That ' s the message people are trying to get across. It ' s certainly a call to action," he said.
Climate Change Minister David Parker said the IPCC had "made a clear case" that governments could and must act to avoid dangerous climate change.
"It confirms the increasing pace of climate change, and the serious impacts we and the rest of the globe may face if we do not get greenhouse gas emissions under control."
New Zealand and the rest of the world could cut emissions and avoid the worst of the projected impacts of climate change.
"A number of actions stand to deliver additional economic, environmentaland health benefits. It confirms that it ' s cheaper to take action on climate change than not.
"Even at the household level, simple steps can cut vehicle fuel and energy bills significantly, and improve people ' s health while cutting emissions," Parker said.
Renwick believed it could be another six or seven years before the next IPCC reports came out.
Sun toasts Martinborough festival
By TANYA KATTERNS, Martinborough - The Dominion Post | Monday, 19 Nov 2007
BASKING: An estimated 10,000 people flocked to Martinborough vineyards yesterday to enjoy wine, food, music and weather at the Toast festival.
There were fine wines, gourmet delights and swinging sounds - and man was it hot.
Sunshine proved the perfect complement for the estimated 14,000 bottles of wine downed by the 10,000 who flocked to Wairarapa vineyards yesterday for Toast Martinborough 2007. The mercury topped 23 degrees celsius, driving visitors into the shade and ensuring local stores were stripped of sunblock.
MetService spokesman Paul Bruce said the weekend ' s good weather was due to a large anti-cyclone over most of New Zealand .
Balmy weather to go on
By TOM FITZSIMONS - The Dominion Post | Thursday, 22 November 2007
WILL HINE/Southland Times
COOLING OFF: Wanaka man Luke Downs cools off in Roys Bay in Lake Wanaka .
It's the golden weather all right - and there's no end in sight.
Most of New Zealand continued to bask in the hot, calm wash of air laid on by an anticyclone yesterday. Temperatures consistently rose above 20 degrees celsius all week, MetService forecaster Andy Downs said. "The main reason is this large area of high pressure around the country." The "blocking high" cut off colder currents of air from south of New Zealand . "It ties in with the idea that we have had this weak La Nina pattern, which is associated with having highs further south," Mr Downs said.
Heat sends clock ' s mercury soaring
By AMY MILNE - The Southland Times | Thursday, 22 November 2007
JOHN HAWKINS/Southland Times/Image ID 114336
HOT CLOCK: The H & J Smith temperature gauge recorded an impressive 27degC yesterday.
Southerners are stripping their clothes off to enjoy a long-awaited heatwave after an unpleasant October..
But just how hot is it? Some Invercargill city-folk were dumbfounded when temperatures on the H&J Smith clock displayed a tropical 27degC at 9am yesterday.
However, 45South weather forecaster Andy Fraser, said: "If it was 27degC at 9am I would eat my whole car." While seeing 27degC at 9am would put a smile on people ' s faces, the H&J Smith clock was "notoriously unreliable" on sunny days because the temperature gauge was situated on top of the building, Mr Fraser said.
Temperatures could be up to 7deg above the actual temperature, he said.
MetService forecaster William Nepe confirmed Invercargill ' s temperature was not 27degC at 9am yesterday but was still reasonably warm at 18degC.
Temperatures throughout the day did not get much higher, as winds changed from a north-west to south-west mid-morning, Mr Nepe said.
Wet weather no deterrent for motorcycle enthusiasts
By Jerrie Andrews - The Southland Times | Saturday, 24 November 2007
©JILL McKEE/Southland Times/Image ID 115681
RIDERS IN THE STORM: The 50-mile (80) km race at last night's Burt Munro Challenge Beach racing was a wet affair, but that didn't deter the riders who took part.
Pete Jenkins reckons he ' ll be coming to the Burt Munro Challenge every year for the rest of his life. The Papamoa local, four of his mates and their classic motorcycles that ranged from Indians to Triumphs made the trip south yesterday, as did hundreds of other motorcyclists eager to enjoy the weekend ' s Burt Munro rally.
Although last night's beach racing that kick-started the weekend's events was greeted with consistent rain, Mr Jenkins was not alone in his desire to make the trip to Southland an annual one, with many others braving the weather and promising a yearly return.
Eastern drought comes with $700m price tag
By BERNARD CARPINTER - The Dominion Post | Tuesday, 20 November 2007
©CRAIG SIMCOX/ Dominion Post
BIG DRY: The lack of rain on the North Island ' s east coast will cost the region $700 million, according to new figures.
Sheep and beef farmers from East Cape to Wairarapa are taking a direct hit of $300 million, and still waiting for their grass to recover. The figures come from an Agriculture and Forestry Ministry report that went to Agriculture Minister Jim Anderton yesterday.
MAF Hawke's Bay regional team leader Gillian Mangin said the farmers' income would drop by $160 million over three years. As incomes had been predicted to grow by $140 million, given normal weather, in effect the loss was $300 million.
The multiplier effect, considering such factors as loss of income in the processing industries, would take the total hit for the region to about $700 million.
Mrs Mangin expected most farmers to pull through, however. "They are pretty resilient and most have high levels of equity," she said.
The North Island east coast region holds about a quarter of all of New Zealand 's sheep and beef stock.
Federated Farmers Hawke's Bay spokesman Kevin Mitchell said he was not surprised by the figures, but he also expected most to farm their way through their difficulties.
The farmers had enjoyed a good period up till the past couple of years, he said.
But right now farms were short of grass because of a cool, windy spring.
"We're hoping for a wet, warm December," he said.
CHOGM agrees climate change action plan
25 November 2007 Media Statement
Prime Minister Helen Clark said today that the climate change declaration agreed by Commonwealth Leaders at CHOGM makes a strong contribution to addressing the problem of global greenhouse gas emissions.
“The Lake Victoria Commonwealth Climate Change Action Plan makes it clear that all countries have a role to play in reducing global greenhouse gas emissions,” Helen Clark said. Helen Clark is attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Kampala , Uganda .
“The Commonwealth brings together representatives of all major interests in the climate change debate – developed and developing, small and vulnerable, large and industrialised countries. This gives Commonwealth leaders a unique perspective.
“One of the agreed points for action is that the Commonwealth will take initiatives to help strengthen participation of Commonwealth developing countries in international negotiations on climate change.
“This will assist more vulnerable economies to ensure their perspectives and circumstances are appropriately reflected.
“I am also pleased that the Action Plan recognises that the issue of “food miles” affects all exporters of fresh produce and needs to be addressed on the basis of facts.
“This is the third major international meeting I have attended in the past three months that has had climate change as a central theme. Along with APEC in Sydney and the East Asia Summit in Singapore , CHOGM is building on the steady momentum towards the United Nations climate change meeting in Bali next month,” Helen Clark said
The Lake Victoria Commonwealth Climate Change Action Plan can be found at:
http://www.thecommonwealth.org/
MetService & NIWA to collaborate more closely
Pete Hodgson and Trevor Mallard announce MetService & NIWA to work more closely together on forecasting New Zealand ' s weather, climate and associated environmental events
The MetService and the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) have signed an official agreement to work more closely together on forecasting New Zealand ' s weather, climate and associated environmental events.
Research, Science and Technology Minister Pete Hodgson and State Owned Enterprises Minister Trevor Mallard say the formal memorandum of understanding will strengthen links between the two organisations to help New Zealanders get more timely and accurate weather information.
"Accurate information about our weather and environment is vital to New Zealanders, especially given that climate change is one of the most pressing issues of our generation", says Pete Hodgson.
"NIWA has a very important global role in investigating climate change and its effects on future weather patterns. Greater collaboration with MetService will improve the sharing of knowledge from this research and the delivery of weather-related information."
The agreement is the result of a working group that was established following a July 2006 review into the integration of weather, climate and environmental forecasting.
Trevor Mallard says the closer relationship will strengthen links between NIWA ' s environmental research and data gathering resources, and the role of the MetService in weather forecasting.
"We ' ve seen how severe weather, such as flooding or cyclones, can have major impacts on some parts of this country, and increased collaboration between these organisations will improve their ability to prepare communities for bad weather."
The agreement also concludes that introducing legislation to ring-fence their activities would help the two companies deliver greater benefit to New Zealanders through improved forecasting information. The Ministers are currently considering this, and a final decision is due later.
Better forecasts tipped as weather agencies end feud
By PAUL GORMAN - The Press | Wednesday, 28 November 2007
Better weather forecasts and improved warnings of severe weather are being promised now two high-profile Government agencies appear to have settled their differences.
More than a year after state-owned enterprise MetService and crown research institute the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa) first sat down with a mediator to settle a row over forecasting responsibilities, the Government has announced the storm is over.
Yesterday ' s statement by Research, Science and Technology Minister Pete Hodgson comes five months after the two organisations signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to work more closely.
However, shareholding ministers are still considering legislation to "ring-fence" their operations to ensure they do not tread on each other ' s toes.
The Press understands a key sticking point has been Niwa ' s ability to produce daily forecasts and severe weather warnings using a forecasting model developed on its multimillion-dollar Cray computer. That put it into direct competition with MetService, the agency responsible for a year-round national public forecasting service..
A report to the Government proposed five options for better collaboration, including a merger of the two, but that was discarded because "the risks associated with structural change were too high".
This year, a Government source told The Press one senior minister was keen to merge the two organisations. The agreement made public yesterday includes that:
MetService and Niwa meet every two months..
Both will immediately share any information about impending severe weather events to improve warnings for the benefit of the country.
Any infrastructure investments will be communicated in advance to ensure minimal duplication and maximum use of the new assets.
Both will carry out joint research to increase shareholder value.
The proposed ring-fencing of each organisation ' s area of focus would allow them to freely share intellectual property without affecting business, the report said.
Hodgson said a final decision on that proposal was due "later". The agreement would lead to more accurate weather forecasts, he said.
Niwa chief executive John Morgan said he was delighted with the outcome.
"If you consider the history of this, I think it is terrific to get to this situation where there is a very powerful MOU and a very real and sincere commitment to move forward."
MetService chief executive Paul Reid said he echoed those comments.
"You ' ll see this was signed five months ago, so we have been operating to this agreement for quite some time now.
"The biggest commitment from our point of view is when either of us will invest we ' ll always consult to ensure that not only is that investment not duplicated but is maximised to its full benefit."
Blue Skies managing director Tony Trewinnard was "cautiously optimistic" that the agreement would benefit the weather industry.
"The agreement clearly allows for other weather providers to benefit from the considerable public money which has flowed into Niwa ' s research coffers over the last 10 years and from the Government ' s annual funding of MetService ' s operation through the presently uncontestable crown contract for weather forecasting."
Blue Skies welcomes MetService/NIWA agreement
Wed 28 Nov 2007
Blue Skies Weather managing director Tony Trewinnard is cautiously optimistic that the memorandum of understanding between MetService and NIWA, announced today, will be of benefit to the weather industry in New Zealand .
“Previously both state owned organizations have soaked up large amounts of tax payer’s money for sometimes questionable benefit to the country”, he said. “The hot air has gone up, but the rain hasn’t always fallen out evenly”.
This agreement provides a much needed basis for a more transparent and leaner operation of both organizations. There are now a clear set of guidelines for both organizations to follow – the public, and others involved in the weather industry in New Zealand now have a clear view of what the government expects, and a way to test how the SOE and CRI they deliver.”
Mr Trewinnard noted with interest that one of the national benefit objectives of the agreement promises the government will soon see “publicly funded data being available for the cost of provision for other users to add value (benefit B4)”.
“This means that finally, after nearly two decades of independent weather providers banging their heads against the brick wall of data unavailability and research inapplicability, we will finally start to see some benefits flowing outside these two organizations”, he said.
“The agreement clearly allows for other weather providers to benefit from the considerable public money which has flowed into NIWA’s research coffers over the last ten years, and from the government’s annual funding of MetService’s operation through the presently un-contestable crown contract for weather forecasting.”
“Its about time that all tax-paying weather providers in New Zealand , including MetService, get to benefit from the great work NIWA has done in developing a very sophisticated weather forecasting model for the country with tax payer funds.”
Blue Skies Weather is New Zealand’s second largest weather forecast provider, and this year celebrates 21 years in business – a history of service to weather users in the country second only to that of MetService.
Helicopters help fight fires
Manawatu Standard | Saturday, 01 December 2007
Four Palmerston North helicopters are filling in for absent rain clouds, dousing fires in the Chatham Islands and Blenheim. The Helipro choppers flew off yesterday, marking an early start to the fire season, Helipro business manager John Read said.
Usually their firefighting assistance wouldn ' t be required until part way through December. "It ' s a pretty early start. It ' s got all the feeling of being a pretty bad season."
The warm, dry weather that ' s seen people flocking outside in recent weeks would not be helping, he added.
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