Don’t underestimate the intensity of the sun; its rays travel more than 90 million miles, but still can burn your skin any day of the week — a fact experts want to share with people while they are most likely to be out enjoying Michigan’s warm weather.
“In July, we raise awareness that UV is the root cause of most skin cancers and encourage the public to take precautions,” the American Academy of Dermatology Association said about UV Safety Awareness Month.
The UV index can help Michiganders navigate long, summer days to avoid sunburns or heat-related illnesses.
The UV Index provides a measure of the sun’s ultraviolet radiation, a short wavelength of light invisible to humans, that can cause sunburns. Sunburns are a factor that can lead to deadly health effects like skin cancer (melanoma and non-melanoma types) and premature aging.
“The UV index represents the amount of skin-damaging UV radiation reaching the earth’s surface at any instant of time,” the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says in its UV Index Guide. “The basic UV index forecast is given for solar noon — the sun’s highest point in the sky and the time of the highest fluctuation in UV radiation (under clear sky conditions).”
The National Cancer Institute says more than 33,000 sunburns are reported that require emergency room visits and may occur among people of all racial/ethnic groups.
The Institute says about two-thirds of teenagers reported a sunburn in the past year, while about 30% of adults said they had been sunburned.
Here’s how to use the UV index to your benefit this summer:
What is UV Safety Awareness Month 2025?
July is recognized as UV Safety Awareness Month because people tend to be outside more during the summer, so exposure is more frequent therefore more harmful, according to National Today — a website for announcing national holidays and celebrations.
What is the UV index?
The UV index includes a spectrum of values, 0-11 or higher, that change based on the sun’s position.
In 1994, the UV index was created by the National Weather Service and EPA to help people avoid overexposure and adverse health effects like skin cancer by clearly stating the current strength of UV light reaching Earth.
UV light effects can be enhanced by reflective surfaces like white sand, snow and water. Also, different skin types react to sun exposure differently, for instance people with light skin are more likely to see skin damage, according to the American Cancer Society.
What is UV light?
Ultraviolet light has shorter wavelengths than visible light, according to NASA.
While much of the sun’s harmful radiation is absorbed by the Earth’s atmosphere — UV-C rays, the most harmful, are nearly completely blocked — UV-A and UV-B rays are only partially absorbed and can cause sunburns, according to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
Although UV waves are invisible to the human eye, some insects, such as bumblebees, can see them, similar to how a dog can hear the sound of a whistle just outside the hearing range of humans.
What are the UV ratings? What do they mean?
Here is a breakdown of the UV index provided by the NWS with its varying effects on your skin health.
What is the UV index today?
The UV index numbers change as the day progresses, based on the sun’s position, and are calculated using forecast ozone levels, cloudiness and elevation, according to the NWS.
You can check the UV index for your location through the EPA’s UV index search by entering a ZIP code.
Can I get a sunburn on a cloudy day?
Yes, though the clouds block some light, more than 90% of the sun’s UV rays pass through clouds and cause sunburns, Cancer Research UK said.
When is the sun most dangerous?
Mid-day and early afternoon hours are when the sun is at its highest, therefore its most dangerous, and according to EPA, the sun’s rays are the strongest between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
How can I prevent a sunburn?
To avoid a sunburn, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health recommends avoiding prolonged sun exposure by taking breaks in the shade.
If that’s not possible, wear tight-weaved clothing or high-SPF clothing; wide-brimmed hats; and sunglasses with UV protection and side panels.
Wearing sunscreen is a widely recommended method against sun damage, though there are ways to ensure its effectiveness. Here’s what officials suggest:
How can I soothe a sunburn?
To minimize the discomfort of a sunburn, there are at-home treatments to consider according to the Cleveland Clinic:
How long does a sunburn last?
Sunburns heal on their own within a few days to a week, though more severe sunburns can take longer and the DNA damage to skin cells is permanent, the Cleveland Clinic said.
After you get a burn, it will go through these three stages:
Contact Sarah Moore @ smoore@lsj.com
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: The sun doesn’t just feel hot today, it may be burning your skin. What the UV Index shows
Reporting by Sarah Moore, Lansing State Journal / Lansing State Journal
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