What is UV?
The sun’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation is the best natural source of vitamin D. However, too much UV exposure from the sun and other sources, such as solariums , is major cause of sunburn, premature ageing, eye damage and skin damage leading to skin cancer.
UV cannot be seen or felt. It is not like the sun’s light which we see, or the sun’s warmth (infrared radiation) which we feel. Our senses cannot detect UV so it can be damaging without us knowing.
There is a huge variation in UV levels across Australia. The UV level is affected by a number of factors including the time of day, time of year, cloud cover, altitude, proximity to the equator, scattering and reflection.
SunSmart UV Alert
The SunSmart UV Alert, produced by the Bureau of Meteorology , predicts when sun protection is required. It provides daily sun protection times for more than 200 locations across Australia, based on cloud-free skies. It uses the World Health Organization's Global Solar UV Index.
During the sun protection times, the UV radiation is at a level that can damage your skin. If there is no UV Alert, sun protection isn't required unless you are near highly reflective surfaces such as snow, outside for extended periods or the UV is above three.
The UV Alert is available as a free widget for your website , as a free SunSmart app, in the weather section of the Herald Sun, or you can find it on the Bureau of Meteorology and SunSmart websites.