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Story: Weather forecasting

Weather map symbols

 

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For over 100 years newspapers in New Zealand have been printing weather maps. The maps draw on a standard set of symbols. This interactive explains the meaning of some of these symbols, helping you to read a weather map.

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Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand

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How to cite this page

Erick Brenstrum, Weather forecasting – Making forecasts, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/interactive/7589/weather-map-symbols (accessed 10 June 2026).

Story by Erick Brenstrum, published 2 March 2009, updated 1 June 2016.