Finally, a weekend with warm, summerlike air and sunshine to go with it. You had a blast at the pool or maybe the neighborhood cookout, but now you’re home and red as a lobster.
Sound familiar? This time of year brings about the rather uncomfortable reminder of just how strong the sun’s rays are. Even though sunburn is more likely in the summer, it can happen at any time of the year, even in Western New York.
Radiation from the sun is broken down into three major types: infrared, visible and ultraviolet. We feel infrared radiation as warmth and visible radiation gives objects color. It’s the last category, ultraviolet radiation, that does the most damage.
The UV Index was developed in the 1990s as a way to measure the likely intensity of ultraviolet, or UV radiation. The index is now a tool used by several international weather and health organizations to monitor UV conditions around the world. Learn how you can use it to protect yourself in this week’s Heather’s Weather Whys.
New episodes of Heather’s Weather Whys air every Thursday at 5:30 on Channel 2. To see every past episode, head to the WGRZ YouTube channel and click “subscribe”.
