South Island Met Agency (SIMA) — Website Terms & Conditions

Effective date: 18 September 2025

Welcome to the website of South Island Met Agency, trading as SIMA ("we", "us", or "our"). These Terms & Conditions ("Terms") govern your access to and use of the website located at sima.co.nz (the "Site") and any services, forecasts, maps, data, images or other content provided through the Site (collectively, the "Content"). By using the Site you agree to these Terms. If you do not agree, please do not use the Site.

1. License to Use the Site

Subject to these Terms, we grant you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable license to access and use the Site and Content for personal, non-commercial informational purposes only.

2. Use, Attribution and Reproduction

* Any part of our Forecasts or Content may not be copied, reproduced, republished, uploaded, posted, transmitted, displayed, encoded, translated or distributed in any way without prior written consent of SIMA ([southislandmet@gmail.com](mailto:southislandmet@gmail.com)).

* Where permission is granted, you must include a caption such as "Forecast provided by South Island Met Agency (SIMA)" and an active link to [https://sima.co.nz](https://sima.co.nz).

* Our 5-day forecasts are computer-generated and provided as general guidance.

3. Restrictions

* Do not use Content commercially without permission.

* Do not remove copyright/trademark notices.

* Do not misrepresent the source or accuracy of forecasts.

4. Changes and Omissions

SIMA is not liable for weather events that were not forecasted or for any changes between forecast publication and actual conditions.

5. Limited Risk-Level Notices Only

SIMA issues risk level assessments for certain severe weather events to help users gauge potential impacts. These risk levels are informational only and are not official warnings or watches. SIMA does not issue official weather warnings or watches. Users should always refer to MetService, the official national meteorological service, for authoritative warnings, watches, and emergency instructions.

6. Disclaimer — Accuracy & Use of Forecasts

All Content is for general informational purposes only. We do not guarantee that any specific locality will experience the weather conditions forecasted. We are not responsible for any damage due to weather or changes in events not forecasted.

7. Purchases, Payments and Refunds

All purchases are final. No refunds are provided due to change of mind.

8. Service Availability & Updates

Daily updates are preferred but not guaranteed due to staffing levels.

9. Indemnity

You agree to indemnify SIMA against any claims arising from your breach of these Terms or misuse of Content.

10. Intellectual Property

All Content is owned or licensed by SIMA and protected by law. You may not copy, reproduce, modify, distribute, or commercially exploit any Content without prior written permission ([southislandmet@gmail.com](mailto:southislandmet@gmail.com)).

11. Privacy

Our Privacy Policy explains how we collect and use personal information. By using the Site, you agree to our Privacy Policy.

12. Limitation of Liability

SIMA’s liability is limited to the maximum extent permitted by law and does not exceed any payments made by you in the past six months.

13. Warnings and Emergency Actions

Forecasts and risk levels are not a substitute for official warnings or emergency services. Always follow MetService and local authority instructions during severe weather.

14. Termination

We may suspend or terminate your access for violations of these Terms.

15. Changes to Terms

We may revise these Terms at any time; continued use constitutes acceptance.

16. Governing Law & Dispute Resolution

These Terms are governed by New Zealand law and disputes are subject to the courts of New Zealand.

17. General

If any provision is invalid, remaining provisions remain in effect. These Terms constitute the entire agreement between you and SIMA regarding the Site.

18. Contact

Contact: [southislandmet@gmail.com](mailto:southislandmet@gmail.com)

Website: [https://sima.co.nz](https://sima.co.nz)

Document finalised for publication.