Sun Strength

[Nick F]

I've never got sunburn in Scotland in my life (unless I had it as a young child) In fairness people should really be careful in the Highlands, sometimes temperatures can get up to close to 30'C and with those very long summer days compared to England, the sun is in the sky for longer. If you were to walk around during the Highland's warmest day of summer without lotion you'd probably get quite a nasty bit of sunburn.

Temperature doesn't really have any affect on how much you burn it's the UV light that does it. Although Scotland has longer hours of daylight towards the 21st June - the UV index is higher the further south you go - you will burn quicker in Cornwall than you will in the Highlands. Though I'd recommend to wear sunscreen anywhere in the UK when outdoors in summer - even if it's cloudy!

[androcles]

As a gardener I am out in this stuff all year round. Today I, and the paving guys at the house opposite, were in t-shirts after about 11-30. It was so warm, almost 15°C I believe at some point today with clear skies and contrails everywhere.

Now I really do not know if it's an age thing but having spoken to a lot of my older customers, we have all discussed the strength of the sun in these fair isles. It appears that we all agree that the strength of the sun, that is when it is clear enough to see and feel, is stronger than say the 60's/70's. In other words, the Sun Strength is more powerful now, and earlier in the year than it used to be 'back then.'

I do suspect an age thing here but some info from any experts would be good. I find, anyway, that the older I get the more I am not very interested in being in it too long.

Also my older customers seem to think that the sun has more Glare than they remember...? Aged eyes perhaps? Dunno. I am open to any facts, figures, etc.

I am dark and do not burn in this country. I go a gradual shade of brown over April and remain that way until about November...

I did lose a nose once in Sierra Leone though, which hurt like hell...!

Best Wishes

Andy Moore

[Terminal Moraine]

I do suspect an age thing here but some info from any experts would be good. I find, anyway, that the older I get the more I am not very interested in being in it too long.

Best Wishes

Andy Moore

I'd agree with your observation that it's an age thing. I've also been a gardener all my working life, and before it, and I've found that with increasing age I'm less and less keen on spending hours in the blazing sun.

In the summers of 1975/76/83 and 95 I turned a deep shade of mahogany as I wore little else but shorts for months at a time, not even sun block I 'm afraid in the early years, as I wasn't aware it was necessary in this country.

I've been badly sunburned on perhaps 3 occasions in my life ( which is 3 too many ) and the earliest I can remember being mildly burned by the sun is at the end of March in 1974 and again in 1982.

Since about 1983 I've been very keen on wearing sun block, at least factor 60, and since about 2003 I've worn a light shirt even in the hottest weather, my mind focussed by the fact that two of my colleagues, both younger than me, have had operations for skin cancer.

[weatherobsuk]

Temperature got up to just past 14'c today despite the cold wind. Im lucky this time of year because the sun comes through my window from Midday until Sunset so I get a months "tanning" ahead of everyone else lol. So I'll be out in a t-shirt by the time April comes along and it generally wont bother me (of course I wear sun-cream when it gets stupidly hot though in the mid-summer day sun around June/July.) But I usually take all the neccessary precautions anyway such as wearing a hat and avoiding the Midday sun.

By the time my Metal festival (Bloodstock) comes around in August im back to just wearing t-shirts again without the sun-cream, I still wear my hat though and drink gallons of water.

Ive only ever been burn whilst on holiday (South France and Turkey.)

Edited March 11, 2009 by SNOW_JOKE

[Duncan McAlister]

I've had sunburn in mid-October in Ayr! But I do have exceptionally pale skin, as Billy Connolly says - 'it takes me a week in the sun to go white!' :winky:

[Bottesford]

Best thing to do with strong sunshine is to keep out of it! Everyone (well almost everyone) loves sunshine but like any good thing - too much is bad.

I've often found on blazing hot days (I mean 30c+) that you have retreat from the sun and admire it from afar - then wait for the inevitable gorgeous warm evening outside when the radiation levels go down. Even on cooler days that tingly feeling from strong radiation isn't something to be out in for too long without protection.

Same with snow too in a way - it looks lovely, it's an exciting event and everyone is on about it - but it's a ruddy nightmare to do your normal day to day routine in.

Hot sunshine, to me, is like saving - it's painful as you go (blazing direct sunlight, hot offices, etc) but well worth the reward (warm evenings, bbq, tender air, etc..).

[J07]

Temperature doesn't really have any affect on how much you burn it's the UV light that does it. Although Scotland has longer hours of daylight towards the 21st June - the UV index is higher the further south you go - you will burn quicker in Cornwall than you will in the Highlands. Though I'd recommend to wear sunscreen anywhere in the UK when outdoors in summer - even if it's cloudy!

I don't think that's a good idea (last sentence). UV is necessary for us. Just too much is bad. There's very limited period in the UK where the UV is worth mentioning, and it rarely, if ever, gets above 6 or 7 (which is only just out of "moderate"). Sure, be safe in the sun, but it is natural for us to get hit by summer sun. If you wear sunscreen all the time, and on cloudy days, you are going to reduce for UV dosage too much in my mind.

Surely a better idea to limit your exposure and dress appropriately. This must be the most natural way too! Remember mad dogs and Englishmen!

It's true you are more likely to burn in Cornwall than the highlands, just the simple factor of latitude is enough.

Possible arguments for the Highlands though:

Longer days - doesn't really mean too much since the sun is significantly lower in the sky at solar noon, the UV is lower too

Higher altitude - nowhere near high enough to be of significance to UV

Snow cover - this is a solid argument. Lingering snow in, say, May or June could pose a notable sunburn risk

Clearer air - possible....

As for the increased glare in modern times argument:

It may have some worth.

Glare is related to atmospheric pollutants. If the air has got cleaner since the 1960s (which is possible), then there would be fewer pollutants.

The crucial battle is Mie vs Rayleigh scattering. Ever wonder why the skies in the southern hemisphere are staggeringly more blue than the northern hemisphere? It's due to fewer pollutants, which increases Rayleigh scattering at the expense of Mie. Rayleigh scattering tends to skew the light towards the blue end of the spectrum, and, bingo, you have bluer skies. This is also why the light in the UK is known for being "soft" and the "blue" skies are all too often a milky white shade.

Bluer light is also more energetic, which is why the sun in the SH is more dangerous than the NH. Of course, that pesky ozone layer is a nuisance, but in winter, the SH UV is no different to equivalent latitudes in the NH. So why is it easier to burn in winter here than in winter in the NH? Why is the winter sun here so much stronger? It can only be explained (to my knowledge) again by scattering towards the blue end of the spectrum, which is what makes the sun "sting" here.

Hence if you're cut your pollutants significantly since the 1960s, I would not be surprised if you get more glare. On the otherhand, the source of the air can override these other factors. If you consistently get continental feeds, sure it'll be hot, but your blue sky won't be exactly picture perfect.

So if you're worried about frazzling this Spring and Summer, for God's sake count yourselves lucky!

[Yeti]

It's amazing how my skin just seems to turn chocolate in no time and I can only remember actual burning on singular occasions - one was at 2000m in Austria during 2003, for example (in Spain I have problems though).

The sun has very little effect on some people who neither burn nor tan, whilst others just frazzle. I think this picture of me and my brother highlights this difference perfectly! (Austria last summer).

http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2...732117_6243.jpg

[conor123]

I remember one instant last year on the beach in Aber around Late July.

I forgot to take suncream but sat out in the sun anyway and by the end of the day was raw red like id been a week in Cyprus.

Developed into a nice tan though a few days later

Got more of a tan on that day than i did for a week in France one month later.

[andy_leics22]

I usually start getting a tan in the sun in early April, I do tan quite well, I can burn easily though if I am in the sun without a t shirt on between may and august because my natural skin colour is pretty pale but on areas like my face, arms and legs I tan well. It might seem unusual that my legs tan rather than burn while my torso burns easily without cream on... Well I tend to play a lot of tennis and football in summer so my legs have built up a tan over time and now they take a lot more to burn than my torso which still hasn't really built up a tan.

[Stargazer]

Hopefully I can shed a little light on the original question with some maths...

I remember hearing somewhere that you need to be careful when going out in the sun when it's around halfway up (45 degrees above the horizon) or more. Looking at the various contributors' posts this corresponds quite nicely to the first date in the year when they feel they have caught the sun - my rough trigonometry gives a date of around April 3 to September 11 for southern Cornwall (50 degrees N) compared with May 1 to August 14 for Shetland (60 degrees N).

I have tried to take into account the earth's uneven motion around the sun by doing the theoretical calculation using a sinusoidal model of the sun's declination (celestial latitude) then making a rough adjustment taking into account the actual typical dates of the equinoxes.

I have a typical northern European skin colouration (probably type 3) - I can tan reasonably but have to be careful on the way.

Edited March 12, 2009 by Stargazer

[Costa Del Fal]

Reached 16.2c here today and looking at the Met Office here was the warmest area!

Trees are really starting to see their first buds appearing now. This is great!

If you look at the Met Office UV Index, the first 2's are in there now with the Midlands, and the North West having the highest UV index the most over the next 5 days.

[Geordiesnow]

Reached 16.2c here today and looking at the Met Office here was the warmest area!

Seems a little too high that temperture considering the airmass is not the warmest, i think there might be a fault with your weather station perhaps?

I certainly noticed a gain in strength whilst out in the sun a few days ago, although the temp was quite low, in the sun it was really pleasant even though the temp was only 5C. I go brown so i think in around a months time, the sun will have enough strength too give me a tan hopefully.

[Costa Del Fal]

Seems a little too high that temperture considering the airmass is not the warmest, i think there might be a fault with your weather station perhaps?

I certainly noticed a gain in strength whilst out in the sun a few days ago, although the temp was quite low, in the sun it was really pleasant even though the temp was only 5C. I go brown so i think in around a months time, the sun will have enough strength too give me a tan hopefully.

I do check my reports with nearby stations first and the closest one got just a shade under 16c today.

We had plenty of sun this afternoon and the Meto even shows our area being the warmest so i cant really see if mines a touch higher that its wrong.

[J07]

Hopefully I can shed a little light on the original question with some maths...

I remember hearing somewhere that you need to be careful when going out in the sun when it's around halfway up (45 degrees above the horizon) or more. Looking at the various contributors' posts this corresponds quite nicely to the first date in the year when they feel they have caught the sun - my rough trigonometry gives a date of around April 3 to September 11 for southern Cornwall (50 degrees N) compared with May 1 to August 14 for Shetland (60 degrees N).

I have tried to take into account the earth's uneven motion around the sun by doing the theoretical calculation using a sinusoidal model of the sun's declination (celestial latitude) then making a rough adjustment taking into account the actual typical dates of the equinoxes.

I have a typical northern European skin colouration (probably type 3) - I can tan reasonably but have to be careful on the way.

Pretty good workings it would seem!

Using timeanddate.com

In London: April 6th to September 5th

In Edinburgh: April 18th to August 24th

In Wellington (where I live): September 14th to March 30th

It does seem like a logical way of looking at it. For my location, it seems to encapsulate the entire period when the UVI is at least 5, unfortunately I don't keep UVI forecast records for everyday, but these will do.

So if 45 degrees = at least UVI 5, then yes I would agree that is the period for when to be careful in the sun. Obviously though, the first few weeks are the most dangerous, when people are pastily exiting winter. However, UVI 6 is not going to be a terrifying prospect at the end of summer, that would barely make a dent if you've already built up a tan.

If you look at the Met Office UV Index, the first 2's are in there now with the Midlands, and the North West having the highest UV index the most over the next 5 days.

What would it be like in a month? It's practically impossible to tan in UVI 2.

[J10]

Went skiing in March over the Alps in March 06, and got burnt on my face a bit.

[Costa Del Fal]

What would it be like in a month? It's practically impossible to tan in UVI 2.

I definately dont suggest a tan from a UV Index of 2! Im just trying to say how the sun is definately gaining strength over the Northern Hemisphere now.

[Cookie]

Went skiing in March over the Alps in March 06, and got burnt on my face a bit.

is that due to being higher up?

[J07]

is that due to being higher up?

Would be a factor, but most likely dominant would be lower latitude and snow cover.

[Mark.C]

is the strength of the sun today the same as it would be on 29th september

[NorthernRab]

It's amazing how my skin just seems to turn chocolate in no time and I can only remember actual burning on singular occasions - one was at 2000m in Austria during 2003, for example (in Spain I have problems though).

The sun has very little effect on some people who neither burn nor tan, whilst others just frazzle. I think this picture of me and my brother highlights this difference perfectly! (Austria last summer).

http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2...732117_6243.jpg

He is still a wee boy though, so it's important to look after his skin which you've all clearly done , when he gets older his skin will probably become darker (my sister actually stopped being able to get a tan as she grew older, gutted!).

Also, little information for everyone on this topic. The person to blame for all this is fashion designer Coco Chanel. In 1923 she was accidentally sunburned on a cruise to Cannes. Before she knew it, she had started a new trend. Having a tan used to be a sign of poverty (rich landlords lounged around indoors all day, took casual strolls in the twilight, whereas the poor often worked outdoors for long hours, therefore tanned). Nowadays, a tan is seen as a sign of wealth; the rich can afford to go away to foreign countries, the poor cannot.

[stewfox]

Since about 1983 I've been very keen on wearing sun block, at least factor 60, and since about 2003 I've worn a light shirt even in the hottest weather, my mind focussed by the fact that two of my colleagues, both younger than me, have had operations for skin cancer.

In 1980 as a kid i got permant sunburn on the shoulders, fell asleep on a lio in Florida

Use to use factors 4/8 in Egypt and Im fair skin

Very bad sun burn Maldives went out 4hrs without suncream ,very stupid

I got sun burn in uk 2nd week september years ago. In May as well, dont think in April

I use more suncream now

[J07]

is the strength of the sun today the same as it would be on 29th september

Probably similar. Solar angle at noon is 35.8 degrees for both. However, in September the earth is further from the sun than it is now (due to January 4th being the time when the planet is absolutely closest to the sun).

[summer blizzard]

I am quite lucky in that i have a light olive complexion, and tend to go brown instead of red, the earliest such occasion being April, and the lastest September.

I agree with the people in this thread, i can already feel the sun even at this UV index, the only times i can actually burn are June and July.

[PB22]

Can really feel the sun's strength at work already and the tan will soon be starting, if it hasn't already done so.