UK weather: What is the UV Index and why could it break UK records?
We need sunlight to keep us in good health, but getting sunburnt from too much UV exposure – especially for fair-skinned people – isn’t the only risk. “UV is important for getting Vitamin D and keeping us healthy, but too much of it can cause skin cancer or eye cataracts,” says Dr Michaela Hegglin from…
We need sunlight to keep us in good health, but getting sunburnt from too much UV exposure – especially for fair-skinned people – isn’t the only risk.
“UV is important for getting Vitamin D and keeping us healthy, but too much of it can cause skin cancer or eye cataracts,” says Dr Michaela Hegglin from the University of Reading’s Department of Meteorology.
“So slip into a shirt, slop on some sun cream, and slap on a hat and sunglasses during the hottest hours of the day.”
And remember, the amount of UV reaching your skin is not driven by the daily temperature. UV levels on a bright and breezy late April day will be about the same as a warm sunny day in August.
“Your skin can burn just as quickly whether it’s 30C or 20C,” says BBC Weather’s Helen Willetts. “And don’t be caught out on cloudy days. UV will still penetrate thin clouds – so even if you don’t think it’s that sunny, you can still burn.”
