Arecibo, Puerto Rico UV Index
Arecibo UV index today — burn time, EPA scale, and sun-protection guidance
Arecibo, PR · UV Index right now
Skin burns in ~16 min
UV 8.6Very High
A UV index of 8.6 means unprotected skin can begin to burn in roughly 10 minutes for the most sun-sensitive skin types (Fitzpatrick type I).
Peak UV today: 10:33 AM–2:33 PM
Estimated from today’s sunrise and sunset: UV is strongest in the two hours either side of solar noon (12:33 PM local time).
EPA UV Index scale
Current reading: UV 8.6 — Very High.
Sun protection right now
- SPF & cover-up
- Wear SPF 30–50+ broad-spectrum sunscreen, reapply every 2 hours, and avoid the sun 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
- Reapply
- Reapply every two hours and after swimming or heavy sweating.
- Safe exposure
- Unprotected fair-to-medium (Fitzpatrick III) skin can begin to burn in about 16 minutes at this UV level. Sunscreen, shade, and cover-up extend that window.
EPA / WHO sun-safety guidance; type III skin baseline. Current band: Very High.
Burn time by skin type
The current UV index is 8.6 (Very High) — unprotected skin can begin to redden fastest for the fairest (Fitzpatrick type I) skin and slowest for the darkest (type VI).
See the full minutes-to-burn table for every UV level and all six skin types in the sunburn-time guide.
Sun protection for today's UV
- EltaMD UV Clear SPF 46 Face Sunscreen
Broad-spectrum mineral-chemical face sunscreen. Lightweight, non-greasy — the dermatologist standby for daily high-UV exposure.
- La Roche-Posay Anthelios SPF 60 Body Sunscreen
Broad-spectrum SPF 60 for arms, shoulders, and legs. Water-resistant for 80 minutes — reapply after swimming or heavy sweat.
- Coolibar UPF 50+ Long-Sleeve Swim Shirt
UPF 50+ rash guard blocks ~98% of UV. A physical layer outperforms any sunscreen on the skin it covers — no reapplication needed.
- Wallaroo UPF 50+ Wide-Brim Sun Hat
A 3-inch+ brim shades the face, ears, and neck — the spots people forget to re-apply sunscreen and where most skin cancers start.
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UV through the year in Arecibo
Near the tropics the sun rides high all year, so UV in Arecibo 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 81° 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.
| Month | Noon sunelevation | Peak UVclear-sky est. | Type Imin to burn | Type IIImin to burn | Type VImin to burn |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 50° | 7 | 13 | 19 | 63 |
| February | 59° | 9 | 10 | 15 | 49 |
| March | 69° | 11 | 8 | 12 | 40 |
| April | 81° | 12 | 7 | 11 | 37 |
| May | 90° | 12 | 7 | 11 | 37 |
| June | 85° | 12 | 7 | 11 | 37 |
| July | 87° | 12 | 7 | 11 | 37 |
| August | 86° | 12 | 7 | 11 | 37 |
| September | 75° | 11 | 8 | 12 | 40 |
| October | 63° | 9 | 10 | 15 | 49 |
| November | 53° | 7 | 13 | 19 | 63 |
| December | 48° | 6 | 15 | 22 | 74 |
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 Arecibo?
- In Arecibo 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 Arecibo?
- Yes. Up to about 80% of UV radiation passes through clouds, so you can still burn in Arecibo 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 Arecibo
See the full Arecibo, PR weather forecast — hour-by-hour outlook, NOAA radar, satellite, and air quality.