WeatherWatch.co.nz has had a big 2019 from launching a new rural website to making political gains, winning new clients and creating a strong innovative focus for 2020.

Here are our 3 biggest moments of 2019 – and what we are planning for 2020…

1. Launching RuralWeather.co.nz – This has more weather data available for more NZ locations than both Government forecasters combined and we have more free data than any other site on earth. 10 days out, hourly data, graphs and trends. It even includes NZ’s first ever Fog Forecaster which covers every one of NZ’s airports (especially the big city ones). It’s an incredibly detailed website and when you scroll down and click on “Detailed Data” you can find rainfall totals each hour for 10 days out, hourly UV data, even air pressure trends, both data and trend graphs – it really has everything you need if you’re a grower, gardener or farmer – or just an urban weather watcher! 

   Here’s the press release about Rural Weather: WeatherWatch launches new site: RuralWeather.co.nz
   

2. Commerce Commission (ComCom) launches investigation into Government Agencies Niwa and MetService. As many of you know (and are rightfully tired of hearing about) we have some significant issues with the way weather data we all collectively tax fund in NZ is used – it actually hurts the private sector and encourages an unfair Government duopoly. It’s been an unfair system for 20+ years so we were incredibly delighted when in September 2019 we officially got word the ComCom will now finally investigate both Niwa and MetService over two potential violations: 1) Anticompetitive Behaviour, 2) Taking advantage of their market place power.  We thank the ComCom for the work they are doing here.

   Here’s the Newshub press release about this story: Metservice, NIWA under investigation by Commerce Commission for anti-competitive behaviour
   

3. WeatherWatch signs deal with Vector Ltd. Following on from the major wind storm that hit Auckland in April 2018, WeatherWatch and Vector were proud to jointly announce in November 2019 our new long term deal. The partnership covers better weather warnings, severe weather communication and a focus on problem spots in the Auckland region to help with their crews internally which is all designed to better protect Aucklanders and power supply around severe weather events. A real win/win/win for Vector, WeatherWatch and the general Auckland public and power customers.
   
   You can read Vector’s media release here: WeatherWatch signs deal with Vector

What is coming in 2020?  A lot!

• An entirely revamped WeatherWatch.co.nz website – to make it work smarter and retaining a similar layout. We aim to launch this before the end of this summer!
• Bug fixes to locations and some settings in our free App
• RuralWeather.co.nz website sped up (getting rid of that 10 second delay when you log on)
• An App for RuralWeather.co.nz 
• A better marine product / tidal information on web and app
• Continuing our NEW Climate/Seasonal and Monthly forecasting products (which we just started in November 2019). You can see our second update for January and the rest of summer here. 
• Increased storm coverage and tracking – from both NZ and the rest of the world.

FINAL THOUGHTS
For a small company we have a big footprint across New Zealand and even into Australia and the South Pacific. We couldn’t do this all without your incredibly loyal support – and for putting up with years of us complaining about ‘the unfair Government system’ and taking your time to understand why this issue matters so much to us – but also understanding how it also affects accuracy in your local forecasts. With the ComCom now removing this burden off our shoulders it gives us great focus – our new investment team is very motivated around innovation in the year ahead. Positive Change is coming to 2020.

Happy New Year, from us to you!

– WeatherWatch.co.nz & RuralWeather.co.nz