UV index today
The ultraviolet index measures how strong the radiation that burns skin is. Pick a city to see today’s hourly curve and the maximum for the coming days.
Clear sky value. Thick cloud lowers the real index, but ultraviolet goes through thin cloud and reflects off sand, snow and water.
Index
| Range | What to do |
|---|---|
| Low (0 to 2) | You can stay outside with no special protection. |
| Moderate (3 to 5) | Shade around midday, hat, sunglasses and sunscreen. |
| High (6 to 7) | Avoid the sun between 10 am and 4 pm; SPF 30 or higher. |
| Very high (8 to 10) | Unprotected skin burns fast; cover up and stay in the shade. |
| Extreme (11 and above) | Avoid midday sun. Sunburn in minutes. |
Choose a city
- ShanghaiShanghai, CN
- ChongqingChongqing, CN
- ChengduSichuan, CN
- BeijingBeijing, CN
- GuangzhouGuangdong, CN
- ShenzhenGuangdong, CN
- KinshasaKinshasa, CD
- IstanbulIstanbul, TR
- LagosLagos, NG
- Ho Chi Minh CityHo Chi Minh City (HCMC), VN
- TianjinTianjin, CN
- WuhanHubei, CN
- LahorePunjab, PK
- Xi’anShaanxi, CN
- MumbaiMaharashtra, IN
- São PauloSão Paulo, BR
- Mexico CityMexico City, MX
- HangzhouZhejiang, CN
- KarachiSindh, PK
- DelhiDelhi, IN
- MoscowMoscow, RU
- DhakaDhaka Division, BD
- SeoulSeoul, KR
- HarbinHeilongjiang, CN
- TokyoTokyo, JP
- DongguanGuangdong, CN
- CairoCairo, EG
- HefeiAnhui, CN
- JohannesburgGauteng, ZA
- WeifangShandong, CN
- NanjingJiangsu, CN
- ShenyangLiaoning, CN
- FoshanGuangdong, CN
- LondonEngland, GB
- New York CityNew York, US
- JakartaJakarta, ID
- BengaluruKarnataka, IN
- JinanShandong, CN
- HanoiHanoi, VN
- TaipeiTaiwan, TW
- LimaLima Province, PE
- BogotáBogota D.C., CO
- DalianLiaoning, CN
- Hong Kong, HK
- BaghdadBaghdad, IQ
- WuzhongNingxia, CN
- QingdaoShandong, CN
- TehranTehran, IR
- YantaiShandong, CN
- HyderabadTelangana, IN
- Rio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro, BR
- SuzhouJiangsu, CN
- PuxiShanghai, CN
- ZhengzhouHenan, CN
- AhmedabadGujarat, IN
- AbidjanAbidjan Autonomous District, CI
- NanningGuangxi, CN
- KunmingYunnan, CN
- ShijiazhuangHebei, CN
- ChangchunJilin, CN
- MET Norway — Locationforecast 2.0 (ultraviolet_index_clear_sky)Licence: CC BY 4.0 e NLOD 2.0 (uso comercial permitido) · Credit: Dados do MET Norway (Instituto Meteorológico da Noruega)O índice é calculado para céu limpo: com nuvens espessas o valor real pode ser menor.
- GeoNames cities15000Licence: CC BY 4.0 · Credit: Dados de cidades: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0)
- Dados de cidades: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0)
How to read these numbers
The scale is open ended and starts at zero. At mid latitudes a summer noon usually reaches 8 or 9; near the equator and at altitude it often passes 12.
The index depends on the sun angle, the ozone layer and altitude. That is why it is high in the early afternoon even on a cold day: temperature and ultraviolet radiation do not go together.
Frequently asked questions
- What UV index is dangerous?
- From 3 upwards the WHO recommends protection. From 8 upwards, unprotected fair skin burns within minutes at peak hours.
- Do I need sunscreen on a cloudy day?
- Thin cloud lets most ultraviolet through. On an overcast day with a high forecast index, protection is still needed.
- Does glass protect me?
- Ordinary glass blocks almost all UVB but lets much of the UVA through, which is what ages skin.