Have you ever wondered what the UV index is for your city?

The Environmental Protection Agency together with the National Weather Service have developed the UV Index.  This helpful tool allows you to find out what the UV index is for where you are located. 

What exactly is the UV index?  The UV index is the amount of UV radiation that reaches the earth at any given location. 

The earth was created with a layer of ozone to protect and shield us from harmful UV radiation, but over time this layer has depleted as a result of climate change leaving us more vulnerable to the sun’s rays.  The depletion of ozone layer varies, and added to that different seasons and weather patterns result in different amounts of UV radiation that reach the Earth.   In order to for us to be able to take care and practice sun-safe behavior it is important for us to check the UV index from time to time, especially when we are planning outdoor activities or trips away from home.  The reading is done as a prediction of the next day’s ultraviolet raditiation level on a scale ot 1-11.  One must also watch out for UV Alerts that are posted by the EPA when predictions of UV levels are unusually high, cautioning us to take extra special care when outdoors.

Try it out, access this link to find out what your UV index is tomorrow, and especially when planning your next picnic!  http://www.epa.gov/sunwise/uvindex.html