Community Corner
UV Index Alert ‘Extreme’ — Again (Aug. 8)
Be sun wise with sunscreen and avoid overexposure when the ultraviolet index hits 6 or higher. The UV Alert is "extreme" for the Tampa Bay area at "solar noon" Aug. 8, with a UVI forecast of 12.
The UV Alert is "extreme" for the Tamap Bay area Aug. 8, and also for 10 other cities in the nation where the ultraviolet index forecast is 11 or higher.
Valid for "solar noon,” the Aug. 8 UV Index forecast for the Tampa Bay area is 12.
This is the second-highest forecast among the 58 readings taken and the same UV Index forecast for Albuquerque and Honolulu.
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All but four of the 58 cities show forecasts at the “high,” “very high” or “extreme” range.
All five times Brandon Patch has posted UV Index forecasts (July 10, 16, 23 and Aug. 4 and 8) the Tampa area has been under an “extreme” UV Alert.
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The highest UV Index for Aug. 8 is 13, forecast for San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The lowest UV Index reported is 3, forecast for Anchorage, Alaska. Also in the “moderate” range, at 5, is St. Louis, Missouri; at 4, Burlington, Vermont and Des Moines, Iowa. (See chart below.)
No city’s reading was in the "low" range.
What Is the UV Index
The UVI is "the next-day forecast for the amount of skin-damaging radiation expected to reach the earth's surface at the time when the sun is highest in the sky," according to the National Weather Service.
The UV Index ranges from O (at night) to 16 (as in the tropics, at high elevations under clear skies).
The higher the UV Index, the greater the "dose rate" of skin- and eye-damaging ultraviolet radiation, according to the National Weather Service.
The UV Index is categorized by the World Health Organization as follows:
- LOW — 0, 1, 2
- MODERATE — 3, 4, 5
- HIGH — 6, 7
- VERY HIGH — 8, 9, 10
- EXTREME — 11-16
Overexposure Risks
According to the National Weather Service, overexposure to ultraviolet radiation can cause the following:
- Severe sunburn, following an intense, short-term overxposure.
- Melanoma, the more deadly of the two types of skin cancer, following several intense, short-term overxosures.
- Non-melanoma skin cancers, which are almost 100 percent curable after overexposure for very long periods of time, as is experienced typically by construction workers, farmers and fishermen.
- Catracts in the eyes, also following long-term exposure.
CITY STATE UVI (7-10) UVI (7-16) UVI (7-23) UVI (8-4) UVI (8-8) San Juan PU 13 12 11 6 13 Albuquerque NM 12 12 12 12 12 Honolulu HI 13 13 12 13 12 Tampa FL 12 11 12 11 12 Houston TX 11 9 11 11 11 Jacksonville FL 11 6 11 10 11 Los Angeles C 11 11 11 12 11 Miami FL 11 12 12 12 11 New Orleans LA 12 12 11 11 11 Phoenix AZ 11 11 9 11 11 Atlantic City NJ 10 9 10 10 10 Charleston WV 11 10 10 6 10 Cheyenne WY 8 11 11 10 10 Dallas TX 11 11 11 10 10 Denver CO 11 11 11 11 10 Las Vegas NV 11 11 11 11 10 Little Rock AR 11 11 11 10 10 Memphis TN 11 11 10 10 10 Mobile AL 12 6 11 11 10 Oklahoma City OK 11 11 11 9 10 Raleigh NC 11 10 11 10 10 Salt Lake City UT 11 11 10 11 10 San Francisco CA 10 9 10 10 10 Atlanta GA 11 9 11 6 9 Baltimore MD 10 9 10 7 9 Boise ID 10 9 10 9 9 Charleston SC 11 10 11 10 9 Dover DE 10 9 10 5 9 Indianapolis IN 10 9 10 8 9 Jackson MS 11 8 11 11 9 Louisville KY 11 10 10 9 9 New York NY 10 9 8 7 9 Norfolk VA 10 10 10 9 9 Washington DC 10 9 10 8 9 Wichita KS 10 11 11 4 9 Billings MT 9 10 9 9 8 Boston MA 10 9 6 8 8 Buffalo NY 9 8 9 8 8 Chicago IL 9 9 9 9 8 Concord NH 10 9 8 8 8 Detroit MI 8 9 9 5 8 Hartford CT 10 9 8 8 8 Milwaukee WI 9 9 8 8 8 Minneapolis MN 8 6 9 8 8 Omaha NE 8 10 10 6 8 Philadelphia PA 10 9 10 3 8 Pittsburgh PA 10 9 8 6 8 Portland ME 9 8 8 7 8 Sioux Falls SD 10 7 10 9 8 Portland OR 8 4 9 8 7 Providence RI 10 9 9 8 7 Seattle WA 7 2 8 8 7 Bismarck ND 9 9 8 9 6 Cleveland OH 10 9 6 8 6 St. Louis MO 11 9 10 9 5 Burlington VT 9 9 9 8 4 Des Moines IA 3 9 10 5 4 Anchorage AK 5 5 3 4 3 Source: National Weather Service
SUN-SAFETY TIPS
The Hillsborough County Extension Office, through the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, offers the following tips for avoiding the dangers of overexposure:
Do Not Burn
- Five or more sunburns can double the chances of getting skin cancer.
Monitor UV Levels
- Limit outdoor activities between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. when the UV Index is "high" (6 or 7), "very high" (8, 9 or 10) or "extreme" (11 or higher).
Apply Lots of Sunscreen
- Apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen (SPF of at least 15) 20 minutes before going outside. Re-apply the sunscreen again every two hours, and after swimming or sweating.
Protect Head and Eyes
- Wear wide-brimmed hats for better sun protection. Wear sunglasses with 99-100 percent UV-A and UV-B protection.
Use Extra Caution Near Water and Sand
- Water and sand (and snow) reflect UV rays, causing extra exposure.
Avoid Tank Tops
- Wear T-shirts or long-sleeved shirts as opposed to lessen exposure of shoulders and sides.
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