UV index and sunburn time, by city
How strong the sun gets where you are, and how long unprotected skin lasts before it burns. UV intensity depends on how high the sun climbs, how much ozone sits above you and how high up you are — so it differs for every city and every month.
1,000 cities across 114 countries, each with peak UV by month, burn times for all six Fitzpatrick skin types, and an hour-by-hour picture of when the sun is strongest.
Reading the UV index
| Index | Category | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | Low | Safe for most people. No protection needed. |
| 3–5 | Moderate | Seek shade at midday. Protection advised. |
| 6–7 | High | Protection required. Fair skin burns within the hour. |
| 8–10 | Very high | Extra protection. Avoid the sun in the middle of the day. |
| 11+ | Extreme | Unprotected skin burns in minutes. |