Last updated: July 2, 2025
In Carnarvon, South Africa, being aware of the UV Index is crucial for safeguarding your skin health. Understanding UV levels helps you prevent painful sunburns and long-term skin damage, ensuring you enjoy the sun safely. With Carnarvon’s BWk climate, the sun can be particularly intense, especially around midday, where UV readings peak at 5 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. This makes it essential to plan outdoor activities wisely and take protective measures—because being sun-smart in this beautiful region is as important as the sun itself!
The UV Index data reveals a dynamic progression throughout the day. Starting at 0 at 7:00 AM, the intensity begins to rise slowly, reaching 1 by 8:00 AM and 9:00 AM. By 10:00 AM, it escalates to 3, indicating a moderate level of UV exposure. 11:00 AM sees the index peak at 4, and the sun reaches its zenith by noon with a UV Index of 5, marking a high risk level. The afternoon maintains this peak at 5 until 1:00 PM, before gradually declining to 4 at 2:00 PM and further down to 3 by 3:00 PM. As the sun sets, the UV radiation drops sharply, returning to 1 at 4:00 PM and 5:00 PM, and finally back to 0 from 6:00 PM onward. Awareness of these fluctuations can guide outdoor plans, ensuring protection during the peak UV hours!
| Time | UVI | Category | Time to Burn |
|---|---|---|---|
| 07:00 | 0 | low | 45 min |
| 08:00 | 1 | low | 45 min |
| 09:00 | 1 | low | 45 min |
| 10:00 | 3 | moderate | 30 min |
| 11:00 | 4 | moderate | 30 min |
| 12:00 | 5 | moderate | 30 min |
| 13:00 | 5 | moderate | 30 min |
| 14:00 | 4 | moderate | 30 min |
| 15:00 | 3 | moderate | 30 min |
| 16:00 | 1 | low | 45 min |
| 17:00 | 1 | low | 45 min |
| 18:00 | 0 | low | 45 min |
| 19:00 | 0 | low | 45 min |
Throughout the year, UV exposure varies significantly, with the highest risk months occurring from January to March, where the UV Index consistently reaches 15 (extreme) and has a burn time of just 10 minutes. Following this, April presents a slight decrease to a UV Index of 9 (very high), with a burn time of 15 minutes, while May sees it drop to 6 (high) with a longer burn time of 25 minutes. As summer arrives, June and July maintain a moderate UV Index of 5, allowing for safer outdoor activity with a burn time of 30 minutes. However, August brings a return to high risk at 7, followed by a significant rise again in September (very high at 10) and a jump to extreme levels in October and November (14-16), where burn times shorten back to 10 minutes. Visitors and residents should take precautions during high risk months by wearing protective clothing, applying sunscreen frequently, and minimizing direct sun exposure, especially during peak hours, to safeguard their skin health.
UV Risk Categories
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Town UVI | 14 | 13 | 11 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 14 |
| Durban UVI | 14 | 13 | 12 | 9 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 15 |
| Carnarvon | 15 | 15 | 12 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 10 | 13 | 14 | 16 |
| Johannesburg UVI | 15 | 15 | 13 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 16 |
| Pretoria UVI | 16 | 15 | 13 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 16 |
| Soweto UVI | 16 | 15 | 13 | 11 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 11 | 13 | 15 | 16 |