Community Corner
UV Index Alert Is On for July 10; Tips To Stay Sun Safe
Be sun wise with sunscreen and avoid overexposure when the ultraviolet index hits 6 or higher. The UV Alert is on for the Tampa Bay area July 10, with a UVI forecast of 12. Sun safety tips are offered by the Hillsborough County Extension Service.
The UV Alert for July 10 is on for the Tamap Bay area, with the ultraviolet index forecast one point higher than the number that starts the range for "extreme."
The July 10 UV Index forecast for the Tampa Bay area is 12. This is the second-highest forecast among the 58 readings taken and the same UVI forecasted for Albuquerque, Mobile and New Orleans.
The top UVI is 13, forecast for both Honolulu and San Juan, Puerto Rico. The lowest is 3, forecast for Des Moines. (See chart below.)
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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.
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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.
Overexposure Risks
According to the National Weather Service, overexposure to UV 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.
UV INDEX FORECAST (July 10) City State UVI Honolulu HI 13 San Juan PU 13 Albuquerque NM 12 Mobile AL 12 New Orleans LA 12 Tampa FL 12 Atlanta GA 11 Charleston WV 11 Charleston SC 11 Dallas TX 11 Denver CO 11 Houston TX 11 Jackson MS 11 Jacksonville FL 11 Las Vegas NV 11 Little Rock AR 11 Los Angeles CA 11 Louisville KY 11 Memphis TN 11 Miami FL 11 Oklahoma City OK 11 Phoenix AZ 11 Raleigh NC 11 Salt Lake City UT 11 St. Louis MO 11 Atlantic City NJ 10 Baltimore MD 10 Boise ID 10 Boston MA 10 Cleveland OH 10 Concord NH 10 Dover DE 10 Hartford CT 10 Indianapolis IN 10 New York NY 10 Norfolk VA 10 Philadelphia PA 10 Pittsburgh PA 10 Providence RI 10 San Francisco CA 10 Sioux Falls SD 10 Washington DC 10 Wichita KS 10 Billings MT 9 Bismarck ND 9 Buffalo NY 9 Burlington VT 9 Chicago IL 9 Milwaukee WI 9 Portland ME 9 Cheyenne WY 8 Detroit MI 8 Minneapolis MN 8 Omaha NE 8 Portland OR 8 Seattle WA 7 Anchorage AK 5 Des Moines IA 3 Source: National Weather Service
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