Do you still need to check the UV index in winter?

Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency UV expert, Dr Stuart Henderson, answers questions about sun protection in winter.  

Does the UV index get above 3 in winter? 

Yes! Queensland, Northern Territory, and parts of New South Wales, South Australia and Western Australia will still experience UV at 3 or above throughout winter. This means that people in these parts of Australia need to keep using sun protection.  

If I live in southern parts of Australia, do I still need to continue using sun protection in winter? 

It depends on where you live, but we recommend that all Australians make sun protection part of their daily routine by checking the UV index every morning. Even in winter, we encourage people to be vigilant by checking the UV index before heading outside. In some southern areas of Australia, there are times of the year when sun protection may not be necessary, generally late autumn and winter. If you live in an area where the UV Index remains below 3 during these months, you do not require sun protection.  

Do I need sun protection when I go to the snow? 

Yes, UV can reflect up off the snow, meaning you can get exposed twice, so you should check the UV Index when travelling to the snow and if the UV is going to be 3 and over you should apply sunscreen to any uncovered skin prior to starting your skiing or snow play, and every 2 hours after. This also goes for exposure at high altitudes or near highly reflective surfaces when working outdoors or outside for extended periods.  

Why is sun protection important? 

Australia experiences some of the highest levels of UV radiation in the world. As such, more than two in three Australians will be diagnosed with skin cancer in their lifetime, many of which will be UV induced and preventable. Sun protection behaviours and actions are extremely important to reduce this exposure and decrease the incidence of UV induced skin cancers. Sun protection is strongly recommended when the UV index reaches 3 or higher.  

When the UV index is 3 or above, we recommend a combination of sun protection measures: 

Where can you check the UV forecast?