UV Hour

UV index in Toronto right now

6.8 UV Index
High UV

The UV index in Toronto is about UV 6.8 right now — the high band. Type II skin has an estimated 25 min before first redness, unprotected. No level is risk-free — this is when to come in, not how long you may stay.

For the rest of today in Toronto

UV 6.8 right now (high) · peak UV 7.2 at 13:00 · type II has about 23 min of unprotected sun before the first redness at the peak · protection recommended (WHO) 12:00–16:49

7.2 peak today
High UV
  • 13:00 Peak UV hour
  • 23 min Est. first redness at peak, type II
  • 12:00–16:49 Protection recommended (UV 3+, WHO)
  • UV 6.8 Right now (high)
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 11:00 14:00 17:00 20:00 21:00 7.2 protection recommended (WHO) — UV 3 12:17
Protection recommended (UV 3+, WHO) UV index
Estimated minutes of unprotected sun before the first redness in Toronto, by skin type. An estimate, not a safety limit — skin damage builds up before any redness shows.
Skin typeNow (UV 6.8)At peak UV 7.2
I20 min19 min
II25 min23 min
III29 min28 min
IV39 min37 min
V49 min46 min
VI59 min56 min

The sun in Toronto

Toronto sits at 43°N on Lake Ontario, with a continental sky that swings between extremes. In summer, clear high-pressure days push midday UV to levels most residents underestimate, and the lakefront — beaches, ferries to the Islands, patio culture — concentrates people outdoors with water adding reflected light.

The exposed season is May to September, with midday peaks in the high band on clear July days. Toronto’s particular trap is the shoulder seasons at both ends: a bright May afternoon on a patio already carries a summer-level index while the air still feels like spring — and in winter, a sunny day on snow reflects enough UV upward to redden a ski-week face.

Time to first redness at today’s peak (UV 7.2), by skin type

Estimated minutes of unprotected sun before the first redness, at UV 7.2. 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. 19 min
II — Burns easily, tans minimally. 23 min
III — Burns moderately, tans gradually. 28 min
IV — Burns rarely, tans easily. 37 min
V — Burns very rarely, tans very easily. 46 min
VI — Almost never burns, always tans. 56 min

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

Toronto — the questions people actually ask

What is the UV index in Toronto right now?

As of the last 15-minute refresh, the UV index in Toronto is about 6.8 — the high band. At that level, fair skin (type II) reaches the first visible redness in about 25 min unprotected. The chart on this page shows the rest of the day, hour by hour.

When do you need sun protection in Toronto today?

The WHO recommends sun protection from UV 3 upward, for every skin type. On the current forecast, Toronto is at or above UV 3 from 12:00–16:49 local time today. Outside that span the index is lower — the dose still accumulates, just more slowly.

Can you tan in Toronto today?

The forecast peak is about UV 7.2 at 13:00, 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 23 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 Toronto feel weaker than it is?

The exposed season is May to September, with midday peaks in the high band on clear July days. Toronto’s particular trap is the shoulder seasons at both ends: a bright May afternoon on a patio already carries a summer-level index while the air still feels like spring — and in winter, a sunny day on snow reflects enough UV upward to redden a ski-week face. Heat and UV are different quantities: the index depends on sun angle, ozone, altitude and cloud — not on temperature, and not on wind.

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