Three ways to know UVR levels in NZ

March 7, 2016

In New Zealand, UV radiation levels are monitored and measured by NIWA. When the UV index is 3 or higher sun protection is recommended to reduce the risk of skin damage/skin cancer. You can read more about UV radiation on the NIWA website.

NIWA provides daily UV forecasts in different centres in New Zealand in a graph format for the public.

As the Health Promotion Agency (HPA) found that some people wanted a text-based alert to complement NIWA's graph, the HPA released the Sun Protection Alert at the end of 2011 using NIWA data. During the daylight saving months (September to April) this is available on the MetService website and Weather App, newspapers, television (TV3), and radio.

Some organisations have added the Sun Protection Alert to their intranet, or homepage - for example DermNet NZ. For skiers there's a free Snow Weather App.

Recently there has been a new development with the release of the uv2Day smartphone app. This app was developed by Jerry Burke and Dr Richard McKenzie (NIWA Lauder (emeritus)) with support from other NIWA staff. Using NIWA's UV forecasts, the app shows the current UV index level, its peak value and its progression throughout the day. It means people - especially those with melanoma or sensitive skin - can make up-to-the-minute decisions about protecting their skin outdoors. The free app is available on Google Play for Android phones (released in 2015) or the App Store for iPhones (released in 2016). It works throughout NZ, Australia and the South Pacific region, including Antarctica, and it can be used in the winter for ski trips when sun protection is also advisable at high altitude.