When is UV strongest in Kailua?

In Kailua the sun rides highest around April, when the estimated clear-sky peak UV index reaches about 12. Within any day it peaks near solar noon — roughly 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. local time. It is also stronger at higher elevation and near reflective surfaces like water, sand, and snow.

Can you get sunburned on a cloudy day in Kailua?

Yes. Up to about 80% of UV radiation passes through clouds, so you can still burn in Kailua on an overcast day. The WHO notes that thin or scattered cloud offers little protection — check the UV Index, not the sky.

Kailua, Hawaii UV Index

Kailua UV index today — burn time, EPA scale, and sun-protection guidance

Kailua, HI · UV Index right now

No burn risk right now

UV 0Low

A UV index of 0 sits in the EPA Low band: sunburn risk is minimal for most people, and no sun protection is needed for the average person outdoors.

Peak UV today: 10:37 AM–2:37 PM

Estimated from today’s sunrise and sunset: UV is strongest in the two hours either side of solar noon (12:37 PM local time).

EPA UV Index scale

Low0–2

Moderate3–5

High6–7

Very High8–10

Extreme11+

Current reading: UV 0 — Low.

Sun protection right now

SPF & cover-up: No protection needed for most people. You can safely stay outside.
Reapply: Reapply every two hours and after swimming or heavy sweating.
Safe exposure: At UV below 3 there is no meaningful burn risk for most people. You can be outside without sunscreen, though sunglasses still protect your eyes.

EPA / WHO sun-safety guidance; type III skin baseline. Current band: Low.

Burn time by skin type

How fast unprotected skin can begin to redden depends on the UV index and your Fitzpatrick skin type. Below UV 3 (Low), burn risk is minimal for most people.

See the full minutes-to-burn table for every UV level and all six skin types in the sunburn-time guide.

UV through the year in Kailua

Near the tropics the sun rides high all year, so UV in Kailua stays strong across most months and tops out in April, when the estimated clear-sky peak UV index reaches about 12 around solar noon. At that peak the noon sun reaches about 78° above the horizon. Each month below pairs the noon sun elevation with the estimated peak UV and how fast unprotected skin can begin to redden.

Noon sun elevation, estimated clear-sky peak UV, and burn time by skin type
Month	Noon sunelevation	Peak UVclear-sky est.	Type Imin to burn	Type IIImin to burn	Type VImin to burn
January	48°	6	15	22	74
February	56°	8	11	17	56
March	67°	10	9	13	44
April	78°	12	7	11	37
May	88°	12	7	11	37
June	88°	12	7	11	37
July	90°	12	7	11	37
August	83°	12	7	11	37
September	72°	11	8	12	40
October	60°	9	10	15	49
November	50°	7	13	19	63
December	45°	5	18	27	89

Clear-sky estimate from sun angle and elevation — day-to-day clouds and ozone shift the real index up or down. Burn times are first-redness approximations for unprotected skin, not a safe-exposure budget.

Frequently asked

When is UV strongest in Kailua?: In Kailua the sun rides highest around April, when the estimated clear-sky peak UV index reaches about 12. Within any day it peaks near solar noon — roughly 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. local time. It is also stronger at higher elevation and near reflective surfaces like water, sand, and snow.
Can you get sunburned on a cloudy day in Kailua?: Yes. Up to about 80% of UV radiation passes through clouds, so you can still burn in Kailua on an overcast day. The WHO notes that thin or scattered cloud offers little protection — check the UV Index, not the sky.

UV & sun-safety guides

See how the UV Index works — including why clouds are no shield — plus evergreen guides to burn time, vitamin D, skin-cancer risk, and when UV is strongest, collected on the UV Index hub.

More for Kailua

See the full Kailua, HI weather forecast — hour-by-hour outlook, NOAA radar, satellite, and air quality.