Community Corner
UV Index Alert ‘Extreme’ for Aug. 4
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. 4, with a UVI forecast of 11.
The UV Alert is "extreme" for the Tamap Bay area Aug. 4, and also for 12 other cities in the nation where the ultraviolet index forecast is 11 or higher.
Valid for "solar noon,” the Aug. 4 UV Index forecast for the Tampa Bay area is 11.
This is the third-highest forecast among the 58 readings taken and the same UV Index forecast for Denver, Houston, Jackson, Las Vegas, Mobile, New Orleans, Phoenix and Salt Lake City.
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All but six of the 58 cities show forecasts at the “high,” “very high” or
“extreme” range.
All four times Brandon Patch has posted UV Index forecasts (July 10, 16, 23 and Aug. 4) the Tampa area has been under an “extreme” UV Alert.
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The highest UV Index for Augl 4 is 13, forecast for Honolulu.
The second-highest UV Index for Aug. 4 is 12, forecast for Albuquerque, Los Angeles and Miami.
The lowest UV Index is 3, forecast for Philadelphia. Next lowest is 4, forecast for Anchorage and Wichita. Also in the “moderate” range, at 5, are Des Moines, Detroit and Dover. (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) Honolulu HI 13 13 12 13 Albuquerque NM 12 12 12 12 Los Angeles C 11 11 11 12 Miami FL 11 12 12 12 Denver CO 11 11 11 11 Houston TX 11 9 11 11 Jackson MS 11 8 11 11 Las Vegas NV 11 11 11 11 Mobile AL 12 6 11 11 New Orleans LA 12 12 11 11 Phoenix AZ 11 11 9 11 Salt Lake City UT 11 11 10 11 Tampa FL 12 11 12 11 Atlantic City NJ 10 9 10 10 Charleston SC 11 10 11 10 Cheyenne WY 8 11 11 10 Dallas TX 11 11 11 10 Jacksonville FL 11 6 11 10 Little Rock AR 11 11 11 10 Memphis TN 11 11 10 10 Raleigh NC 11 10 11 10 San Francisco CA 10 9 10 10 Billings MT 9 10 9 9 Bismarck ND 9 9 8 9 Boise ID 10 9 10 9 Chicago IL 9 9 9 9 Louisville KY 11 10 10 9 Norfolk VA 10 10 10 9 Oklahoma City OK 11 11 11 9 Sioux Falls SD 10 7 10 9 St. Louis MO 11 9 10 9 Boston MA 10 9 6 8 Buffalo NY 9 8 9 8 Burlington VT 9 9 9 8 Cleveland OH 10 9 6 8 Concord NH 10 9 8 8 Hartford CT 10 9 8 8 Indianapolis IN 10 9 10 8 Milwaukee WI 9 9 8 8 Minneapolis MN 8 6 9 8 Portland OR 8 4 9 8 Providence RI 10 9 9 8 Seattle WA 7 2 8 8 Washington DC 10 9 10 8 Baltimore MD 10 9 10 7 New York NY 10 9 8 7 Portland ME 9 8 8 7 Atlanta GA 11 9 11 6 Charleston WV 11 10 10 6 Omaha NE 8 10 10 6 Pittsburgh PA 10 9 8 6 San Juan PU 13 12 11 6 Des Moines IA 3 9 10 5 Detroit MI 8 9 9 5 Dover DE 10 9 10 5 Anchorage AK 5 5 3 4 Wichita KS 10 11 11 4 Philadelphia PA 10 9 10 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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