﻿ UV index - Maximum and hourly UV index for today and tomorrow - Sunburn map - Protect your skin from sunburn
Sunburn map
        This service helps you avoid sunburn. Maximum and hourly UV index

What’s the website about and what’s it for?

This service provides information on the intensity of ultraviolet solar radiation and its effect on your skin, wherever you are in the world. Spending long periods of time exposed to ultraviolet light can seriously harm your health.
The solar ultraviolet radiation level is different in different parts of the world. It depends on the season, time of day, cloudiness and ozone layer thickness. This website shows you the maximum and hourly UV index, maximum exposure time to avoid skin damage and protective measures you can take to reduce the adverse effects of radiation. The radiation level (shown by the UV index) is displayed for a three-day period.

What is the UV index?

The UV index also known as the Ultraviolet Index, is an international system of measuring ultraviolet solar radiation for a specific day and geographical location. The higher the index, the more intense and dangerous to your health the solar radiation is. On this website, you can view the maximum and hourly index. The UV index increases after sunrise and decreases towards the evening.

How is the maximum and hourly UV index displayed?

The map always shows the maximum UV index. When you select a city, the maximum UV index is shown by default, but you can switch this to hourly. When you do this, the site selects the nearest hour; e.g. at 9:45, 10:00 will be selected, and at 11:20, it will show the UV index for 11:00. The site takes into account local time and daylight saving time (if applicable) for the chosen city.

What range is the UV index displayed in?

On the three-day tabs you can see the UV index for each hour of daylight. The UV index is shown on a scale of 0 to 11. If the UV index is higher than 11, it’s displayed as 11 or 11+.

How does ultraviolet radiation affect health?

Ultraviolet radiation, in small doses, is good for your health: it helps the body produce Vitamin D.
But spending a lot of time in the sun can seriously harm your health. Sunburn may lead to skin cancer (deadly melanomas or carcinomas), premature aging of the skin (photo-ageing) and weakening of the immune system. Ultraviolet radiation may also have a damaging effect on the eyes: cataracts, retinal burn and serious visual impairment.

How can you reduce to risk of sunburn?

This service recommends a suitable sun protection factor (UVA + UVB) for the local UV index. The sunscreen’s protection factor is displayed with a safety margin. Using the (increase/decrease) arrows, you can see the maximum possible length of solar exposure without skin damage.
Sunscreen only takes effect 20 minutes after application. Its effect, on average, lasts 2 hours. It must be reapplied each time after swimming. It’s also important to remember that it’s not possible to apply sunscreen to every part of your body.
Clouds filter out ultraviolet radiation only partially.

How is heat related to the ultraviolet radiation level?

Heat and UV radiation aren’t directly related. Heat is related to infrared waves, while tanning and sunburn are caused by ultraviolet radiation. This means that it can be very hot at the sauna, but you won’t tan; and it can be cool in the solarium, but you may easily get sunburned.

What exacerbates or reduces the effects of ultraviolet radiation?

Water, sand and even snow reflect ultraviolet waves, therefore exacerbating the effect of UV radiation. In the mountains, the effect increases with altitude.
Shade and cloudiness reduce the effect of ultraviolet radiation, but don’t completely eliminate it. The following will help you reduce your exposure to ultraviolet radiation: shade, long-sleeved clothing, sunglasses, covering your head, not tanning at midday, applying sunscreen regularly (every 2 hours).

Why don’t sun protection factors on your website go above 30?

SPF 30 protects skin almost as effectively as SPF 40, 50 or 60. The difference is only a few percent, so the protective effect will be the same.

Which Web browsers and devices does the site support?

The website works correctly with the following Web browsers: Chrome, Safari, Firefox and Opera. Internet Explorer is not supported.

What restrictions are there on using the site?

The website can only be viewed in one browser tab. The service does not work on Internet Explorer. JavaScript should be enabled for the site to be fully functional. Do not use the “Back” button in your browser, as this will leave the website.

How does the UV index vary during the day?

The UV index increases from sunrise and reaches its peak at solar noon. Solar noon, however, doesn’t necessarily occur at 12 o’clock; it can be offset by up to two hours. After solar noon, the UV index decreases hour by hour.

How do you forecast the UV index?

Rapid climatic variations mean it’s impossible to make a long-term forecast. From summer, the UV index increases in the Northern Hemisphere and decreases in the Southern Hemisphere. The opposite happens in winter. The UV index can change significantly from year to year in the same geographical location, due to variations in ozone layer thickness.

How can I support this service?

This service is completely free, but requires a lot of time and effort for development. It would be nice if more people used the website. Please use the social networking buttons to let your friends know about sunburnmap.com.

How accurate is the website’s data and how can it be used?

This site calculates the maximum sun exposure, based on maximum UV index and skin type. This is only for informational purposes. We are not responsible for any misinterpretation or misuse of the website content. You use this service at your own risk. If you wish to use material from this site, please get in touch with us via the Contact form.
Maximum UV Index
1 - 2 Low
3 - 5 Moderate
6 - 7 High
8 - 10 Very High
11+ Extreme