UV Hour

UV index in Sydney right now

0.0 UV Index
Low UV

The UV index in Sydney is about UV 0 right now — the low band. Type II skin has an estimated over 24 h before first redness, unprotected. No level is risk-free — this is when to come in, not how long you may stay.

Today in Sydney

UV 0 right now (low) · peak UV 3.4 at 12:00 · type II has about 49 min of unprotected sun before the first redness at the peak · protection recommended (WHO) 10:45–13:00

3.4 peak today
Moderate UV
  • 12:00 Peak UV hour
  • 49 min Est. first redness at peak, type II
  • 10:45–13:00 Protection recommended (UV 3+, WHO)
  • UV 0 Right now (low)
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 06:00 09:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 3.4 protection recommended (WHO) — UV 3
Protection recommended (UV 3+, WHO) UV index
Estimated minutes of unprotected sun before the first redness in Sydney, by skin type. An estimate, not a safety limit — skin damage builds up before any redness shows.
Skin typeAt peak UV 3.4
I39 min
II49 min
III59 min
IV78 min
V1 h 38
VI1 h 58

The sun in Sydney

Sydney sits at 34°S under a southern-hemisphere sky whose summer air is exceptionally clean and clear — the UV here runs harder than the same latitude in Europe, and the city’s life is built around exactly the exposed places: ocean pools, coastal walks, and beaches where sand and water both reflect extra light onto skin.

The seasons are inverted for northern visitors: the extreme months are November to February, when the midday index regularly reaches the top of the scale and burn times for fair skin drop to minutes. The local rule is the one worth copying — it is the time of day, not the temperature, that decides; the midday hours are for shade even when the breeze makes them comfortable.

Time to first redness at today’s peak (UV 3.4), by skin type

Estimated minutes of unprotected sun before the first redness, at UV 3.4. An estimate, not a safe allowance — skin damage builds up before any redness shows. Below 20 minutes is in red.
Skin type Before first redness
I — Always burns, never tans. 39 min
II — Burns easily, tans minimally. 49 min
III — Burns moderately, tans gradually. 59 min
IV — Burns rarely, tans easily. 78 min
V — Burns very rarely, tans very easily. 1 h 38
VI — Almost never burns, always tans. 1 h 58

Every figure is 0.667 × MED ÷ UV, the standard erythemal formula, with the Fitzpatrick minimal erythemal doses. See the full method and its sources.

Sydney — the questions people actually ask

What is the UV index in Sydney right now?

As of the last 15-minute refresh, the UV index in Sydney is about 0 — the low band. At that level, fair skin (type II) reaches the first visible redness in about over 24 h unprotected. The chart on this page shows the rest of the day, hour by hour.

When do you need sun protection in Sydney today?

The WHO recommends sun protection from UV 3 upward, for every skin type. On the current forecast, Sydney is at or above UV 3 from 10:45–13:00 local time today. Outside that span the index is lower — the dose still accumulates, just more slowly.

Can you tan in Sydney today?

The forecast peak is about UV 3.4 at 12:00, above the roughly UV 2 threshold where melanin production starts — so the skin will respond. That response is damage: there is no risk-free tan at any level. What this page gives you is the other number — about 49 min before first redness for type II at the peak — as a point to stay well under, not a target.

Why does the sun in Sydney feel weaker than it is?

The seasons are inverted for northern visitors: the extreme months are November to February, when the midday index regularly reaches the top of the scale and burn times for fair skin drop to minutes. The local rule is the one worth copying — it is the time of day, not the temperature, that decides; the midday hours are for shade even when the breeze makes them comfortable. Heat and UV are different quantities: the index depends on sun angle, ozone, altitude and cloud — not on temperature, and not on wind.

Other cities we track