What's The Difference Between The Uv Index In Southern Florida And In Southern New Zealand?

[J07]

The answer, it appears, is very little.

These are recorded UV indices from Homestead in southern Florida and Lauder/Alexandra in southern New Zealand. The period of 15th Dec - 15th Jan in NZ and 15th Jun - 15th Jul in Florida.

The difference in latitude is 25N vs 45S.

Total number of 11+ UVI Days (classed as "Extreme") is 24 in Alexandra, NZ and 18 in Homestead, FL.

Also, compare with Davis, California at 38N- because summer is their dry season there so plenty of clear skies. The number of extreme UV days there was only 1. Holtville, at 32N shows a similar pattern.

The Michigan graph shows a station at similar (modest) altitude and latitude to Alexandra, yet the difference is quite acute- with no double digit UVIs being recorded there. These readings at a glance support the idea that UV down under is approximately 40% greater than at the same latitude in the northern hemisphere.

The Utah site is at 1400m ASL, and at 41N, yet again is not really comparable.

Essentially to get higher UV indices you have to head down to both 32N and get up ~1400m above the surface, as shown by Las Cruces.

The other option would be to head into the tropics and remain at sea level.

For "entertainment" sake, have a look at Mauna Loa in Hawaii. It's in the tropics and it's 3400m ASL. The UV there is truly terrifying!

[❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️]

The question on everyone's lips has finally been answered

[J07]

Ha, yes indeed. But, it sheds light on the skin cancer problem here. That region has a lot of Scottish immigrants, who would never have even seen a UV index of 8 in their homeland and so the consequences are sadly inevitable.

[Kiwi]

Ha, yes indeed. But, it sheds light on the skin cancer problem here. That region has a lot of Scottish immigrants, who would never have even seen a UV index of 8 in their homeland and so the consequences are sadly inevitable.

Most Brits don't understand how extreme the strength of the sun can be in NZ.

I had to explain to my GP the other day that the reason I was now needing to have various bits of my skin chopped/frozen off was due to my years in NZ - in particular my childhood (late 60s/early 70s) when sunscreen was unheard of and it was normal to shed a couple of layers of skin each summer due to sunburn. He was worried that I might be spending too much time under the scorching skies of a Hampshire summer (all 10 days of it!)

[Methuselah]

Ha, yes indeed. But, it sheds light on the skin cancer problem here. That region has a lot of Scottish immigrants, who would never have even seen a UV index of 8 in their homeland and so the consequences are sadly inevitable.

Aye. And now too many Scots are flaying themselves in Spain and Tenerife etc annually...Unfortunately, the authorities would rather blame it on AGW than say anything that appears to restrict choice!

[J07]

Most Brits don't understand how extreme the strength of the sun can be in NZ.

I had to explain to my GP the other day that the reason I was now needing to have various bits of my skin chopped/frozen off was due to my years in NZ - in particular my childhood (late 60s/early 70s) when sunscreen was unheard of and it was normal to shed a couple of layers of skin each summer due to sunburn. He was worried that I might be spending too much time under the scorching skies of a Hampshire summer (all 10 days of it!)

Sends a shiver down my spine reading that....hope nothing nasty came of it?

I don't think the sun is ever really "blazing" in the UK, even if the temperatures are high. That is a real blessing of the UK climate, the sun not being a constant health hazard for almost half the year.

[Kiwi]

Sends a shiver down my spine reading that....hope nothing nasty came of it?

I don't think the sun is ever really "blazing" in the UK, even if the temperatures are high. That is a real blessing of the UK climate, the sun not being a constant health hazard for almost half the year.

Thanks - all seems ok - non cancerous- I just need to keep a close watch on things, which I do religiously.

My uncle, who lived near Kaitaia, died a couple of years ago from skin cancer so I know the importance of covering up and keeping an eye out on what my skin is doing. Hey ... anyway the nights are starting to draw in here, it's raining and the likelihood of a scorching summer here in UK seems to be diminishing rapidly.