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UV Rating
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Today's UV Rating |
Understanding
UV | SunSmart
UV Alert Brochure |
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What does UV mean?
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is radiation that is
emitted by the sun. It is divided into three
sub-sections:
UVA
UVB
UVC
The earth's atmosphere blocks all UVC radiation and all
but a small amount of UVB, so the ultraviolet radiation
at the earth's surface is mostly UVA and UVB. UVB is the
most harmful for humans.
What is the SunSmart UV Alert?
The SunSmart UV Alert is reported daily in newspaper
weather forecasts across Australia. The alert is used to
raise public awareness of the risk of exposure to UV
radiation and to encourage people to adopt appropriate
sun protection measures. For best protection from the
sun, a combination of sun protection measures is
recommended, including;
Seeking shade
Wearing protective clothing that cover the arms and legs
as well as the body
Wearing a hat that shades the face and neck
Wearing wrap around sunglasses
Using SPF30+ broad spectrum sunscreen which is reapplied
every two hours
Is the SunSmart UV Alert issued every day?
The SunSmart UV Alert is issued by the Bureau of
Meteorology when the UV Index forecast for the day is 3
or above, which can apply to most days. When the UV
Index reaches 3 or above, skin damage and particularly
sunburn can occur and the risk of skin cancer increases,
so sun protection is required.
The alert identifies the times during the day that the
UV index will reach 3 or above, so people know when to
adopt sun protection measures.
How is the UV forecast developed?
The UV Index forecast provides the information for
the SunSmart UV Alert for cities and towns across
Australia. The UV rating system used by the Bureau of
Meteorology has been adapted from the World Health
Organisation Global Solar UV Index.
Why are there different forecasts for different parts of
Australia?
UV levels are largely determined by latitude, cloud
cover, time of year and time of day. For this reason it
is important for Australians to understand that the UV
index can change each day, and is different for each
month and each season.
Also, because the northern states of Australia are
closer to the equator they have a higher UV Index then
the southern states. It is important for Australians to
understand that the UV Index can change each day due to
cloud cover, and is different each month and each
season.
Australians should get into the habit of checking the UV
Index regularly to see when they need to adopt effective
sun protection behaviours.
Where can I find more information about the UV Index?
For further information on the UV Index, please refer to
these websites;
Bureau of Meteorology
http://www.bom.gov.au/weather/uv/
World Health Organization
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs271/en/
Australian Radiation Protection And Nuclear Safety
Agency (ARPANSA)
http://www.arpansa.gov.au/uvrg/rginfo_p2.html
http://www.arpansa.gov.au/uvindex/daily/ausuvindex.htm
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SunSmart UV Alert
Brochure |
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Click here to download "SunSmart UV Alert - Your
Daily Guide to Sun Protection" |
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