Last updated: May 3, 2025
In Katsuyama, Japan, staying informed about the UV Index is essential for protecting your skin and overall health. Understanding UV levels can help you prevent sunburn and reduce the risk of long-term skin damage, making it vital to monitor daily fluctuations, especially during peak hours. With a Dfb climate, Katsuyama experiences varying UV exposure throughout the year, where index levels can soar as high as 11 during midday in the summer months. Awareness of these UV risks empowers residents and visitors to enjoy the sun safely while safeguarding their skin's health.
The UV Index exhibits a dynamic pattern throughout the day, peaking impressively at 12:00 PM with a striking value of 11, indicating a very high risk of harm from unprotected sun exposure. As early as 9:00 AM, the index jumps to 7, suggesting it’s time to start applying sunscreen. The intensity swells to 10 by 11:00 AM, urging sun safety measures. After reaching its zenith, the index gradually declines, dipping to 5 by 3:00 PM and eventually settling at a low of 0 by 7:00 PM. With these fluctuations, it’s crucial to be sun-smart, especially during peak hours!
| Time | UVI | Category | Time to Burn |
|---|---|---|---|
| 07:00 | 2 | low | 45 min |
| 08:00 | 4 | moderate | 30 min |
| 09:00 | 7 | high | 25 min |
| 10:00 | 9 | very high | 15 min |
| 11:00 | 10 | very high | 15 min |
| 12:00 | 11 | extreme | 10 min |
| 13:00 | 10 | very high | 15 min |
| 14:00 | 8 | very high | 15 min |
| 15:00 | 5 | moderate | 30 min |
| 16:00 | 3 | moderate | 30 min |
| 17:00 | 1 | low | 45 min |
| 18:00 | 1 | low | 45 min |
| 19:00 | 0 | low | 45 min |
The UV Index experiences significant seasonal variations, peaking during the summer months. High-risk months for UV exposure are from May to August, when the UV Index consistently reaches levels categorized as extreme (11), indicating a burn time as short as 10 minutes. March and April also present high risks with very high indexes (8 and 10), where the burn time drops to 15 minutes. Visitors and residents are strongly advised to take protective measures during these months, such as wearing sunscreen, sunglasses, and protective clothing, and seeking shade during peak sun hours to minimize the risk of skin damage. As fall approaches, the risk decreases, with October seeing a high category (UV Index 7) but burn times lengthening to 25 minutes.
UV Risk Categories
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sapporo UVI | 2 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| Yokohama UVI | 3 | 5 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 4 |
| Tokyo UVI | 3 | 5 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 4 |
| Nagoya UVI | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 3 |
| Katsuyama | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 4 |
| Osaka UVI | 4 | 6 | 8 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 3 |