Can you burn at UV 4?

Yes. Very fair (type I) skin can start to burn in roughly 35 minutes at UV 4, and fair (type II) skin in around 40. Olive and darker skin tones need considerably longer, but a full unprotected afternoon can still redden most people.

Is UV 4 okay for the beach?

It's one of the friendlier levels for a long beach session, with sunscreen. Remember that sand and water reflect UV back at you, adding to the forecast number, and that a morning UV 4 usually climbs sharply toward midday.

How long can you stay in the sun at UV 4?

UV 4 · Moderate

UV 4 sits in the middle of the 'moderate' band, the level of a pleasant spring morning in Sydney or a sunny autumn lunchtime in Melbourne. It doesn't feel like burn weather, and that's precisely how it catches people. At UV 4, very fair skin can begin to redden in just over half an hour, while deeper skin tones have a few hours of margin.

Burn times at UV 4, by skin type

Estimated from typical minimal erythemal doses. Reflection off sand, water or snow shortens all times. SPF 50 times assume proper application and are capped at 4 hours, reapply every 2. Educational only.
Skin type	Sun reaction	Unprotected at UV 4	With SPF 50+
I: Very fair	Always burns, never tans	33 min	4 h+
II: Fair	Burns easily, tans minimally	42 min	4 h+
III: Light to medium	Sometimes burns, tans gradually	58 min	4 h+
IV: Olive to tan	Rarely burns, tans easily	1 h 15 min	4 h+
V: Brown	Very rarely burns, tans deeply	1 h 40 min	4 h+
VI: Deep brown to black	Almost never burns	2 h 47 min	4 h+

When and where UV 4 happens in Australia

In the southern capitals, Melbourne, Adelaide, Hobart, UV 4 is a classic October or March midday. In Sydney and Perth it's more of a mid-morning level for much of the warm half of the year: the reading on your way to a 9 am swim that will be 8 or 9 by noon. Across northern Australia, UV 4 is what early morning and late afternoon look like most of the year, the 'low' parts of a day that peaks extreme.

What protection looks like at this level

Standard protection applies: SPF 50+ on exposed skin, hat, sunglasses. The most useful habit at UV 4 is checking what the rest of the day is doing. UV 4 at 10 am usually means a much higher peak is coming, time outdoor plans for earlier or later, and don't judge the day by the reading you left the house with.

Frequently asked questions

Can you burn at UV 4?: Yes. Very fair (type I) skin can start to burn in roughly 35 minutes at UV 4, and fair (type II) skin in around 40. Olive and darker skin tones need considerably longer, but a full unprotected afternoon can still redden most people.
Is UV 4 okay for the beach?: It's one of the friendlier levels for a long beach session, with sunscreen. Remember that sand and water reflect UV back at you, adding to the forecast number, and that a morning UV 4 usually climbs sharply toward midday.

Keep reading

What does UV 4 mean for your skin?

A photo estimates your skin type; the live UV where you stand turns it into your personal burn time.

Check my burn time