UV Index

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The ozone layer shields the Earth from harmful UV radiation. Ozone depletion, as well as seasonal and weather variations, cause different amounts of UV radiation to reach the Earth at any given time. Developed by the National Weather Service (NWS) and EPA, the UV Index predicts the next day's ultraviolet radiation levels on a 1-11+ scale, helping people determine appropriate sun-protective behaviors. EPA will issue a UV Alert when the level of solar UV radiation is predicted to be unusually high, and consequently the risk of overexposure is greater.

UV Index Forecast Map

The forecast map shows contour lines of predicted UV Index values during the solar noon hour. The map is created daily from National Weather Service forecast data. Click the buttons for Day 2, Day 3, or Day 4 to see the UV Index forecast for following days. You may notice a brief delay as each map loads. (To find the time of solar noon at your location, use the sunrise-sunset-solar noon calculator at the NOAA Web site.)

Find Today's UV Index For Your City/Town

The UV Index is calculated daily. Enter your ZIP Code or city and state below for today's UV Index in your area. If a UV Alert is in effect for your area, that information is included with the UV Index.

ZIP Code:		Sign up to receive UV Alerts by e-mail. More Information
	OR
City Name:
	And
State:

Tip: If your ZIP Code is not found, try searching for your city and state. Some ZIP Codes may not be in our database.

You can also look up UV Index using the following resources.

• UV Alert Map - Areas in the U.S. where predicted UV intensity will be well above normal, and you will need to be especially careful to avoid over-exposure.
• Cities Map - Forecast UV Index values for 58 U.S. cities, shown on a map.
• Text Bulletin - A plain text listing of forecast UV Index values for 58 U.S. cities.

Related Information

To report UV measurements for your school, please see the SunWise data entry page.

The following UV Index archives and other information are available from National Weather Service:

• Past text bulletins
• Graphs of yearly values for each city
• Monthly averages of the UV Index in the U.S.
• Information about UV radiation and how it varies
• General UV Index information

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