UV Index Alert ‘Extreme’ for June 30

The UV Alert is "extreme" for the Tamap Bay area June 30, and also for 24 other cities in the nation where the ultraviolet index forecast is 11 or higher.

Valid for "solar noon," the June 30 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 Denver, Honolulu, Jacksonville, Las Vegas, Miami, Mobile, New Orleans, Phoenix, Salt Lake City and San Juan. (See chart below.)

The highest UV Index for June 30 is 13, forecast for 2 cities, Albuquerque and Los Angeles.

The lowest UV Index is 4, forecast for Anchorage. Next lowest is 7, forecast for Pittsburg and Seattle.

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.

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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UV Indexes for Major Cities (June 30, 2012)

 

CITY STATE UVI   Albuquerque NM 13 Los Angeles CA 13 Denver CO 12 Honolulu HI 12 Jacksonville FL 12 Las Vegas NV 12 Miami FL 12 Mobile AL 12 New Orleans LA 12 Phoenix AZ 12 Salt Lake City UT 12 San Juan PU 12 Tampa FL 12 Atlanta GA 11 Boise ID 11 Charleston SC 11 Cheyenne WY 11 Dallas TX 11 Jackson MS 11 Little Rock AR 11 Memphis TN 11 Norfolk VA 11 Oklahoma City OK 11 Raleigh NC 11 San Francisco CA 11 Billings MT 10 Charleston WV 10 Des Moines IA 10 Houston TX 10 Louisville KY 10 Omaha NE 10 St. Louis MO 10 Wichita KS 10 Atlantic City NJ 9 Bismarck ND 9 Boston MA 9 Chicago IL 9 Concord NH 9 Dover DE 9 Hartford CT 9 Indianapolis IN 9 Milwaukee WI 9 Minneapolis MN 9 New York NY 9 Philadelphia PA 9 Providence RI 9 Sioux Falls SD 9 Baltimore MD 8 Buffalo NY 8 Burlington VT 8 Cleveland OH 8 Detroit MI 8 Portland ME 8 Portland OR 8 Washington DC 8 Pittsburgh PA 7 Seattle WA 7 Anchhorage AK 4 Source: National Weather Service