UV index in Newcastle today
Australia's biggest regional city lives on its coastline: ocean baths, surf breaks and harbour walks. Newcastle's UV closely tracks Sydney's, with extreme summer peaks and burn-capable levels for most of the year.
Today’s peak: 4.3 (moderate) around 12 pm
Temperature: 13°C. Remember, UV and heat are unrelated
Protection: No protection needed for most people, unless outside for extended periods or near reflective surfaces like snow and water.
What does UV 1 mean for your skin?
Check my tan timeReading updates roughly every 30 minutes · data by Open-Meteo · reference monitoring by ARPANSA
When Newcastle needs sun protection
Sun protection is typically needed from September through April, and whenever the UV index reaches 3, which is common around midday outside winter.
The threshold, per SunSmart and ARPANSA: whenever UV reaches 3 or above, Slip on covering clothing, Slop on SPF 50+ sunscreen, Slap on a hat, Seek shade and Slide on sunglasses. Read the full sun safety guide.
Where the UV adds up in Newcastle
Long, happy hours outdoors are where exposure quietly accumulates. Local favourites where the five S’s earn their keep:
- Merewether and Bar Beach
- Newcastle Ocean Baths and Bogey Hole
- Bathers Way coastal walk
- Stockton sand dunes
The UV scale at a glance
- 0–2Low
- 3–5Moderate
- 6–7High
- 8–10Very high
- 11+Extreme
Local support in New South Wales
Cancer Council NSW: Sun-safety programs and skin-cancer support across New South Wales.