Last updated: August 1, 2025
Understanding the UV Index in Sokone, Senegal, is crucial for safeguarding your skin and overall health. The UV Index serves as a real-time gauge of sun exposure, helping residents and visitors alike prevent harmful sunburn and long-term skin damage. Sokone, characterized by its BSh climate, experiences high UV levels, especially during midday, with readings peaking at an intense UV Index of 13. Being aware of these levels enables you to plan your outdoor activities more wisely, ensuring you enjoy the beautiful Senegalese sun while keeping your skin protected.
As the sun rises, the UV Index begins gently at a cool 1 at 7:00 AM, maintaining this level until 9:00 AM, when it slightly climbs to 3. By 10:00 AM, the intensity escalates dramatically to 6, foreshadowing the midday peak. The UV Index reaches its zenith at 12:00 PM, soaring to a blistering 12, and maintains a high of 13 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM—a crucial time to seek shade and wear protection. As the afternoon progresses, the index drops to 10 by 3:00 PM and continues to wane, landing at 3 by 5:00 PM. As daylight dwindles, the UV Index returns to a moderate 1 by 6:00 PM, making those evening strolls safer. Remember, when the sun is at its strongest around noon, take precautions to stay protected!
Time | UVI | Category | Time to Burn |
---|---|---|---|
07:00 | 1 | low | 45 min |
08:00 | 1 | low | 45 min |
09:00 | 3 | moderate | 30 min |
10:00 | 6 | high | 25 min |
11:00 | 10 | very high | 15 min |
12:00 | 13 | extreme | 10 min |
13:00 | 14 | extreme | 10 min |
14:00 | 13 | extreme | 10 min |
15:00 | 10 | very high | 15 min |
16:00 | 6 | high | 25 min |
17:00 | 3 | moderate | 30 min |
18:00 | 1 | low | 45 min |
19:00 | 1 | low | 45 min |
The seasonal UV changes reveal a notable increase in UV Index values from January to August, peaking at 14 during August, followed by a slight decrease through October. The high-risk months based on extreme exposure are March through October, with the highest risk observed in August at an extreme level. Visitors and residents are advised to take precautions during these months, such as wearing protective clothing, applying broad-spectrum sunscreen, and seeking shade, especially during peak sun hours, as burn times drop to as low as 10 minutes during the extreme exposure months. From November through January, while the UV levels remain high, they ease slightly, with burn times increasing to 15 minutes, yet caution is still recommended.
UV Risk Categories
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pikine UVI | 9 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 9 |
Dakar UVI | 9 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 9 |
Thies Nones UVI | 9 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 8 |
Thies UVI | 9 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 8 |
Sokone | 9 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 8 |
Touba UVI | 9 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 8 |