New Zealand has recorded the hottest June in over 110 years.

The average temperatures for the month were 2C higher than normal, with 24 separate locations in Aotearoa hitting their own records.

That makes this June New Zealand’s warmest since NIWA started recording temperature in 1909.

The warmth was right across the country. However, it was particularly warm in Motueka, near the top of the South Island, where the mean temperature of 10.8C was 3.2C higher than the town’s 1981-2010 average.

Of the six main regions, Auckland was the warmest and sunniest, Tauranga was the wettest, Christchurch was the coldest and driest, and Dunedin was the least sunny.

The highest temperature recorded was in Hastings (Hawke’s Bay) and Leigh (North Auckland) with both places reaching 22C on different days of the month.

NIWA puts the increase in temperatures down to above-normal sea-level air pressure to the east of the country and climate change.

Northland is currently building New Zealand’s largest solar farm.

Last week, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern turned the first sod of dirt as the build commenced.

The $30 million farm is being set up near Pukenui in the Far North. The farm will power around 3000 local homes when it is completed, which developers hope will be in the next six months.

But it is not only energy – the development will also create jobs, with the $30m spend split roughly 50/50 on gear and labour.

However, the project can claim the country’s biggest solar farm project only for the moment. There are a number of solar farms being planned which will be bigger than this one.

The farm’s expected to last 30 years.