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Storm Surge Forecasting Services
At NIWA we combine capabilities in weather, storm surge and tide forecasting with tide gauge observations to predict sea levels for specific locations under forecast weather conditions. This capability is underpinned by our NIWA Forecast software. Storm surge forecasts can alert you when sea levels pass a certain threshold, enabling you and your community to take steps to prepare for potential inundation.
Our storm surge forecasts use local tide gauge observations to provide a forecast relative to a fixed datum or by mean sea level anomaly.
Tide gauge data needs to be ingested into our system at near real time to be used – we currently do this for these sites. If you’re interested in installing a sea-level gauge or providing access to data from an existing gauge, get in touch.
If there is no tide gauge at a location of interest, we can infer the mean sea level anomaly from nearby sites, although these may be less accurate.
We can also use data from existing LINZ/GNS tsunami gauges although these use pressure gauges for measurements and can drift over time.