What is the UV index?
The UV Index is a next day forecast of the amount of skin-damaging UV radiation expected to reach the earth’s surface. The amount of UV radiation reaching the surface is related to the elevation of the sun in the sky, the amount of cloud cover present, and the amount of ozone in the stratosphere. The UV Index can range from 0 at night to 15 or 16 mostly in tropical and subtropical areas. Areas of high elevation under clear skies can also have UV indexes that approach these high levels. The higher the UV Index the greater the risk of skin damaging UV radiation. The higher the UV Index, the less time it takes before skin damage occurs. Click here to find out what the UV index is in your area.
