The Burn Clock
UV index today at 216 beaches, Saturday, October 3: how long until unprotected skin burns, hour by hour.
The strongest beach sun today is at Cable Beach (Bahamas): UV 8 at 2 PM, enough to burn unprotected fair skin in about 19 minutes. The gentlest is Ocean City at UV 1. 152 of 216 beaches have a burn window for fair skin today (an hour when it burns in under 25 minutes).
How long until you burn?
Your skin
21min
Unprotected fair skin at Clearwater Beach, 1:00 PM · UV 6.8, high.
6 AMnoon8 PM
Burn window 12 PM – 4 PM · under 25 min. Peak UV 7 at 2 PM, 20 min.
Beaches in the burn window now87 of 216
Fastest burn · Dean's Blue Hole, Bahamas18 min
Cable Beach, Bahamas19 min
French Leave Beach, Bahamas19 min
Burn times at every beach today
Fastest first for fair skin (change it in the card above). Hours are each beach’s local time; the burn window is when unprotected skin burns in under 25 minutes.
| Beach | Region | Peak UV | Peak at | Burn at peak | Burn window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ka'anapali Beach | Hawaii | 8 | 1 PM | 17 min | 11 AM – 3 PM |
| Kapalua Bay | Hawaii | 8 | 1 PM | 17 min | 11 AM – 3 PM |
| Dean's Blue Hole | The Bahamas | 8 | 1 PM | 18 min | 12 PM – 4 PM |
| Hanalei Bay | Hawaii | 8 | 1 PM | 18 min | 11 AM – 4 PM |
| Hanauma Bay | Hawaii | 8 | 1 PM | 18 min | 11 AM – 4 PM |
| Kailua Beach | Hawaii | 8 | 1 PM | 18 min | 11 AM – 4 PM |
| Lanikai Beach | Hawaii | 8 | 1 PM | 18 min | 11 AM – 4 PM |
| Makena Big Beach | Hawaii | 8 | 12 PM | 18 min | 11 AM – 3 PM |
| Waikiki Beach | Hawaii | 8 | 1 PM | 18 min | 11 AM – 4 PM |
| Wailea Beach | Hawaii | 8 | 12 PM | 18 min | 11 AM – 3 PM |
| Cable Beach | The Bahamas | 8 | 2 PM | 19 min | 12 PM – 4 PM |
| French Leave Beach | The Bahamas | 8 | 1 PM | 19 min | 12 PM – 4 PM |
| Hapuna Beach | Hawaii | 8 | 12 PM | 19 min | 11 AM – 2 PM |
| Paradise Island Beach | The Bahamas | 8 | 2 PM | 19 min | 12 PM – 4 PM |
| Pink Sands Beach | The Bahamas | 8 | 1 PM | 19 min | 12 PM – 4 PM |
| Stocking Island Beach | The Bahamas | 8 | 1 PM | 19 min | 12 PM – 4 PM |
| Clearwater Beach | Florida Gulf Coast | 7 | 2 PM | 20 min | 12 PM – 4 PM |
| Corpus Christi | Texas Gulf Coast | 7 | 2 PM | 20 min | 12 PM – 4 PM |
| Honeymoon & Caladesi | Florida Gulf Coast | 7 | 2 PM | 20 min | 12 PM – 4 PM |
| Gold Rock Beach | The Bahamas | 7 | 1 PM | 20 min | 12 PM – 4 PM |
| Indian Rocks Beach | Florida Gulf Coast | 7 | 2 PM | 20 min | 12 PM – 4 PM |
| Key West | Florida Keys | 7 | 2 PM | 20 min | 12 PM – 4 PM |
| Madeira Beach | Florida Gulf Coast | 7 | 2 PM | 20 min | 1 PM – 4 PM |
| Pass-a-Grille | Florida Gulf Coast | 7 | 2 PM | 20 min | 1 PM – 4 PM |
| Po'ipu Beach | Hawaii | 7 | 1 PM | 20 min | 11 AM – 4 PM |
| Port Aransas | Texas Gulf Coast | 7 | 2 PM | 20 min | 12 PM – 4 PM |
| Redington Beach | Florida Gulf Coast | 7 | 2 PM | 20 min | 1 PM – 4 PM |
| South Padre Island | Texas Gulf Coast | 7 | 2 PM | 20 min | 12 PM – 4 PM |
| Stock Island | Florida Keys | 7 | 2 PM | 20 min | 12 PM – 4 PM |
| St. Pete Beach | Florida Gulf Coast | 7 | 2 PM | 20 min | 1 PM – 4 PM |
| Tahiti Beach | The Bahamas | 7 | 1 PM | 20 min | 12 PM – 4 PM |
| Treasure Cay Beach | The Bahamas | 7 | 1 PM | 20 min | 12 PM – 4 PM |
| Treasure Island | Florida Gulf Coast | 7 | 2 PM | 20 min | 1 PM – 4 PM |
| Anna Maria Island | Florida Gulf Coast | 7 | 2 PM | 21 min | 1 PM – 4 PM |
| Bonita Beach | Florida Gulf Coast | 7 | 2 PM | 21 min | 12 PM – 4 PM |
| Boynton Beach | South Florida Atlantic | 7 | 1 PM | 21 min | 1 PM – 3 PM |
| Coronado Beach | San Diego County | 7 | 1 PM | 21 min | 12 PM – 3 PM |
| Daytona Beach | Northeast Florida | 7 | 2 PM | 21 min | 12 PM – 3 PM |
| Del Mar | San Diego County | 7 | 1 PM | 21 min | 12 PM – 3 PM |
| Encinitas | San Diego County | 7 | 1 PM | 21 min | 12 PM – 3 PM |
| Fort De Soto Park | Florida Gulf Coast | 7 | 2 PM | 21 min | 1 PM – 4 PM |
| Fort Myers Beach | Florida Gulf Coast | 7 | 2 PM | 21 min | 12 PM – 4 PM |
| Jekyll Island | Georgia Coast | 7 | 2 PM | 21 min | 12 PM – 4 PM |
| La Jolla | San Diego County | 7 | 1 PM | 21 min | 12 PM – 3 PM |
| Lake Worth Beach | South Florida Atlantic | 7 | 1 PM | 21 min | 12 PM – 3 PM |
| Lovers Key State Park | Florida Gulf Coast | 7 | 2 PM | 21 min | 12 PM – 4 PM |
| Marco Island | Florida Gulf Coast | 7 | 2 PM | 21 min | 1 PM – 4 PM |
| Naples Beach | Florida Gulf Coast | 7 | 2 PM | 21 min | 1 PM – 4 PM |
| Ormond Beach | Northeast Florida | 7 | 2 PM | 21 min | 12 PM – 3 PM |
| Pacific Beach | San Diego County | 7 | 1 PM | 21 min | 12 PM – 3 PM |
| Palm Beach | South Florida Atlantic | 7 | 1 PM | 21 min | 12 PM – 3 PM |
| Ocean Beach | San Diego County | 7 | 1 PM | 21 min | 12 PM – 3 PM |
| Solana Beach | San Diego County | 7 | 1 PM | 21 min | 12 PM – 3 PM |
| St. Simons Island | Georgia Coast | 7 | 2 PM | 21 min | 12 PM – 4 PM |
| Sugarloaf Key | Florida Keys | 7 | 2 PM | 21 min | 12 PM – 3 PM |
| Torrey Pines State Beach | San Diego County | 7 | 1 PM | 21 min | 12 PM – 3 PM |
| Vanderbilt Beach | Florida Gulf Coast | 7 | 2 PM | 21 min | 12 PM – 4 PM |
| West Palm Beach | South Florida Atlantic | 7 | 1 PM | 21 min | 12 PM – 3 PM |
| Bahia Honda | Florida Keys | 7 | 1 PM | 22 min | 12 PM – 3 PM |
| Big Pine Key | Florida Keys | 7 | 1 PM | 22 min | 12 PM – 3 PM |
| Boca Grande | Florida Gulf Coast | 7 | 2 PM | 22 min | 1 PM – 3 PM |
| Boca Raton | South Florida Atlantic | 7 | 1 PM | 22 min | 1 PM – 3 PM |
| Bradenton Beach | Florida Gulf Coast | 7 | 2 PM | 22 min | 1 PM – 3 PM |
| Captiva Island | Florida Gulf Coast | 7 | 2 PM | 22 min | 12 PM – 4 PM |
| Carlsbad State Beach | San Diego County | 7 | 1 PM | 22 min | 12 PM – 3 PM |
| Cocoa Beach | Central Florida Atlantic | 7 | 1 PM | 22 min | 1 PM – 4 PM |
| Crystal Cove State Park | Southern California | 7 | 1 PM | 22 min | 12 PM – 3 PM |
| Delray Beach | South Florida Atlantic | 7 | 1 PM | 22 min | 1 PM – 3 PM |
| Doheny State Beach | Southern California | 7 | 1 PM | 22 min | 12 PM – 3 PM |
| El Matador State Beach | Southern California | 7 | 1 PM | 22 min | 12 PM – 3 PM |
| Flagler Beach | Northeast Florida | 7 | 1 PM | 22 min | 1 PM – 4 PM |
| Folly Beach | Charleston Coast | 7 | 1 PM | 22 min | 1 PM – 3 PM |
| Fort Walton Beach | Florida Panhandle | 7 | 1 PM | 22 min | 1 PM – 2 PM |
| Galveston | Texas Gulf Coast | 7 | 1 PM | 22 min | 12 PM – 3 PM |
| Hermosa Beach | Southern California | 7 | 1 PM | 22 min | 12 PM – 3 PM |
| Hernando Beach | Florida Gulf Coast | 7 | 2 PM | 22 min | 1 PM – 4 PM |
| Huntington Beach | Southern California | 7 | 1 PM | 22 min | 12 PM – 3 PM |
| Isle of Palms | Charleston Coast | 7 | 2 PM | 22 min | 2 PM – 3 PM |
| Laguna Beach | Southern California | 7 | 1 PM | 22 min | 12 PM – 3 PM |
| Lido Key | Florida Gulf Coast | 7 | 2 PM | 22 min | 1 PM – 3 PM |
| Longboat Key | Florida Gulf Coast | 7 | 2 PM | 22 min | 1 PM – 3 PM |
| Lower Keys | Florida Keys | 7 | 1 PM | 22 min | 12 PM – 3 PM |
| Manhattan Beach | Southern California | 7 | 1 PM | 22 min | 12 PM – 3 PM |
| Melbourne Beach | Central Florida Atlantic | 7 | 2 PM | 22 min | 2 PM – 4 PM |
| Newport Beach | Southern California | 7 | 1 PM | 22 min | 12 PM – 3 PM |
| New Smyrna Beach | Northeast Florida | 7 | 1 PM | 22 min | 12 PM – 4 PM |
| Oceanside | San Diego County | 7 | 1 PM | 22 min | 12 PM – 3 PM |
| Pensacola Beach | Florida Panhandle | 7 | 1 PM | 22 min | 1 PM – 3 PM |
| Ponce Inlet | Northeast Florida | 7 | 1 PM | 22 min | 12 PM – 4 PM |
| Redondo Beach | Southern California | 7 | 1 PM | 22 min | 12 PM – 3 PM |
| Rincon Point | Central Coast California | 7 | 1 PM | 22 min | 12 PM – 3 PM |
| San Clemente | Southern California | 7 | 1 PM | 22 min | 12 PM – 3 PM |
| Sanibel Island | Florida Gulf Coast | 7 | 2 PM | 22 min | 12 PM – 4 PM |
| Santa Barbara East Beach | Central Coast California | 7 | 1 PM | 22 min | 12 PM – 3 PM |
| Santa Monica | Southern California | 7 | 1 PM | 22 min | 12 PM – 3 PM |
| Satellite Beach | Central Florida Atlantic | 7 | 1 PM | 22 min | 1 PM – 4 PM |
| Seal Beach | Southern California | 7 | 1 PM | 22 min | 12 PM – 3 PM |
| Siesta Key | Florida Gulf Coast | 7 | 2 PM | 22 min | 1 PM – 3 PM |
| Venice Beach | Southern California | 7 | 1 PM | 22 min | 12 PM – 3 PM |
| Venice Beach | Florida Gulf Coast | 7 | 2 PM | 22 min | 1 PM – 3 PM |
| Ventura | Southern California | 7 | 1 PM | 22 min | 12 PM – 3 PM |
| Zuma Beach | Southern California | 7 | 1 PM | 22 min | 12 PM – 3 PM |
| Alys Beach | Florida Panhandle | 6 | 1 PM | 23 min | 12 PM – 2 PM |
| Avila Beach | Central Coast California | 6 | 1 PM | 23 min | 12 PM – 3 PM |
| Carmel Beach | Central Coast California | 6 | 1 PM | 23 min | 1 PM – 3 PM |
| Carolina Beach | North Carolina Coast | 6 | 1 PM | 23 min | 1 PM – 3 PM |
| Cayucos Beach | Central Coast California | 6 | 1 PM | 23 min | 12 PM – 3 PM |
| Dauphin Island | Alabama Gulf Coast | 6 | 12 PM | 23 min | 12 PM – 2 PM |
| Deerfield Beach | South Florida Atlantic | 6 | 1 PM | 23 min | 1 PM – 3 PM |
| Destin | Florida Panhandle | 6 | 1 PM | 23 min | 1 PM – 2 PM |
| Fort Pierce | Central Florida Atlantic | 6 | 2 PM | 23 min | 1 PM – 3 PM |
| Grayton Beach | Florida Panhandle | 6 | 1 PM | 23 min | 12 PM – 2 PM |
| Gulf Shores | Alabama Gulf Coast | 6 | 2 PM | 23 min | 2 PM – 4 PM |
| Jacksonville Beach | Northeast Florida | 6 | 2 PM | 23 min | 1 PM – 4 PM |
| Jensen Beach | Central Florida Atlantic | 6 | 3 PM | 23 min | 1 PM – 4 PM |
| Juno Beach | South Florida Atlantic | 6 | 1 PM | 23 min | 12 PM – 2 PM |
| Jupiter Beach | South Florida Atlantic | 6 | 1 PM | 23 min | 12 PM – 2 PM |
| Jupiter Island | South Florida Atlantic | 6 | 1 PM | 23 min | 1 PM – 2 PM |
| Kiawah Island | Charleston Coast | 6 | 1 PM | 23 min | 1 PM – 2 PM |
| Manasota Key | Florida Gulf Coast | 6 | 1 PM | 23 min | 1 PM – 3 PM |
| Morro Bay State Beach | Central Coast California | 6 | 1 PM | 23 min | 12 PM – 3 PM |
| Neptune Beach | Northeast Florida | 6 | 2 PM | 23 min | 1 PM – 4 PM |
| Orange Beach | Alabama Gulf Coast | 6 | 2 PM | 23 min | 2 PM – 4 PM |
| Perdido Key | Florida Panhandle | 6 | 1 PM | 23 min | 1 PM – 3 PM |
| Pfeiffer Beach | Central Coast California | 6 | 1 PM | 23 min | 1 PM – 3 PM |
| Pismo Beach | Central Coast California | 6 | 1 PM | 23 min | 12 PM – 3 PM |
| Ponte Vedra Beach | Northeast Florida | 6 | 1 PM | 23 min | 1 PM – 2 PM |
| Santa Rosa Beach | Florida Panhandle | 6 | 1 PM | 23 min | 12 PM – 2 PM |
| Seaside | Florida Panhandle | 6 | 1 PM | 23 min | 12 PM – 2 PM |
| St. Augustine Beach | Northeast Florida | 6 | 2 PM | 23 min | 2 PM – 4 PM |
| Sullivan's Island | Charleston Coast | 6 | 1 PM | 23 min | 1 PM – 3 PM |
| 30A | Florida Panhandle | 6 | 1 PM | 23 min | 12 PM – 2 PM |
| Vero Beach | Central Florida Atlantic | 6 | 3 PM | 23 min | 3 PM – 4 PM |
| Wrightsville Beach | North Carolina Coast | 6 | 1 PM | 23 min | 1 PM – 3 PM |
| Baker Beach | San Francisco Bay Area | 6 | 1 PM | 24 min | 1 PM – 3 PM |
| Bimini Radio Beach | The Bahamas | 6 | 1 PM | 24 min | 1 PM – 2 PM |
| Capitola Beach | Central Coast California | 6 | 1 PM | 24 min | 1 PM – 3 PM |
| Cedar Key | Florida Gulf Coast | 6 | 3 PM | 24 min | 3 PM – 4 PM |
| Half Moon Bay State Beach | San Francisco Bay Area | 6 | 1 PM | 24 min | 1 PM – 3 PM |
| Monterey State Beach | Central Coast California | 6 | 1 PM | 24 min | 1 PM – 3 PM |
| Rosemary Beach | Florida Panhandle | 6 | 12 PM | 24 min | 12 PM – 1 PM |
| Santa Cruz Beach | Central Coast California | 6 | 1 PM | 24 min | 1 PM – 3 PM |
| Ocean Beach San Francisco | San Francisco Bay Area | 6 | 1 PM | 24 min | 1 PM – 3 PM |
| Sombrero Beach | Florida Keys | 6 | 1 PM | 24 min | 12 PM – 2 PM |
| Biloxi | Mississippi Gulf Coast | 6 | 12 PM | 25 min | 12 PM – 2 PM |
| Gulfport | Mississippi Gulf Coast | 6 | 1 PM | 25 min | 12 PM – 2 PM |
| Lauderdale-by-the-Sea | South Florida Atlantic | 6 | 2 PM | 25 min | 2 PM – 3 PM |
| Marathon | Florida Keys | 6 | 1 PM | 25 min | 1 PM – 2 PM |
| Muir Beach | San Francisco Bay Area | 6 | 1 PM | 25 min | 1 PM – 3 PM |
| Nags Head | North Carolina Coast | 6 | 1 PM | 25 min | 1 PM – 2 PM |
| Pompano Beach | South Florida Atlantic | 6 | 2 PM | 25 min | 2 PM – 3 PM |
| Stinson Beach | San Francisco Bay Area | 6 | 1 PM | 25 min | 1 PM – 3 PM |
| Bay St. Louis | Mississippi Gulf Coast | 6 | 12 PM | 26 min | none today |
| Dania Beach | South Florida Atlantic | 6 | 2 PM | 26 min | none today |
| Fort Lauderdale Beach | South Florida Atlantic | 6 | 2 PM | 26 min | none today |
| Holly Beach | Louisiana Gulf Coast | 6 | 1 PM | 26 min | none today |
| Hollywood Beach | South Florida Atlantic | 6 | 2 PM | 26 min | none today |
| Islamorada | Florida Keys | 6 | 1 PM | 26 min | none today |
| Coast Guard Beach | Cape Cod | 5 | 1 PM | 27 min | none today |
| Coney Island Beach | New York City | 5 | 1 PM | 27 min | none today |
| Cooper's Beach | Long Island | 5 | 1 PM | 27 min | none today |
| Crescent Beach | Rhode Island | 5 | 1 PM | 27 min | none today |
| Ditch Plains Beach | Long Island | 5 | 1 PM | 27 min | none today |
| East Matunuck State Beach | Rhode Island | 5 | 1 PM | 27 min | none today |
| Easton's Beach | Rhode Island | 5 | 1 PM | 27 min | none today |
| Hammonasset Beach | Connecticut Shoreline | 5 | 1 PM | 27 min | none today |
| Herring Cove Beach | Cape Cod | 5 | 1 PM | 27 min | none today |
| Jacob Riis Park | New York City | 5 | 1 PM | 27 min | none today |
| Jones Beach State Park | Long Island | 5 | 1 PM | 27 min | none today |
| Long Beach | Long Island | 5 | 1 PM | 27 min | none today |
| Main Beach | Long Island | 5 | 1 PM | 27 min | none today |
| Mayflower Beach | Cape Cod | 5 | 1 PM | 27 min | none today |
| Misquamicut Beach | Rhode Island | 5 | 1 PM | 27 min | none today |
| Narragansett Town Beach | Rhode Island | 5 | 1 PM | 27 min | none today |
| Nauset Beach | Cape Cod | 5 | 1 PM | 27 min | none today |
| Ocean Beach Park | Connecticut Shoreline | 5 | 1 PM | 27 min | none today |
| Orchard Beach | New York City | 5 | 1 PM | 27 min | none today |
| Race Point Beach | Cape Cod | 5 | 1 PM | 27 min | none today |
| Robert Moses State Park | Long Island | 5 | 1 PM | 27 min | none today |
| Rockaway Beach | New York City | 5 | 1 PM | 27 min | none today |
| Rocky Neck State Park | Connecticut Shoreline | 5 | 1 PM | 27 min | none today |
| Roger Wheeler State Beach | Rhode Island | 5 | 1 PM | 27 min | none today |
| Second Beach | Rhode Island | 5 | 1 PM | 27 min | none today |
| Salty Brine State Beach | Rhode Island | 5 | 1 PM | 27 min | none today |
| Scarborough State Beach | Rhode Island | 5 | 1 PM | 27 min | none today |
| South Beach Miami | South Florida Atlantic | 5 | 3 PM | 27 min | none today |
| St. George Island | Florida Panhandle | 5 | 4 PM | 27 min | none today |
| Watch Hill Beach | Rhode Island | 5 | 1 PM | 27 min | none today |
| Crane Beach | Greater Boston | 5 | 1 PM | 28 min | none today |
| Good Harbor Beach | Greater Boston | 5 | 1 PM | 28 min | none today |
| Hampton Beach | New Hampshire Coast | 5 | 1 PM | 28 min | none today |
| Nantasket Beach | Greater Boston | 5 | 1 PM | 28 min | none today |
| Singing Beach | Greater Boston | 5 | 1 PM | 28 min | none today |
| Sunny Isles Beach | South Florida Atlantic | 5 | 2 PM | 28 min | none today |
| Wallis Sands | New Hampshire Coast | 5 | 1 PM | 28 min | none today |
| Wingaersheek Beach | Greater Boston | 5 | 1 PM | 28 min | none today |
| York Beach | Maine Coast | 5 | 1 PM | 28 min | none today |
| Amelia Island | Northeast Florida | 5 | 3 PM | 29 min | none today |
| Ogunquit Beach | Maine Coast | 5 | 1 PM | 29 min | none today |
| Old Orchard Beach | Maine Coast | 5 | 1 PM | 29 min | none today |
| Popham Beach | Maine Coast | 5 | 1 PM | 29 min | none today |
| Tybee Island | Georgia Coast | 5 | 3 PM | 29 min | none today |
| Crandon Park | South Florida Atlantic | 5 | 1 PM | 30 min | none today |
| Key Biscayne | South Florida Atlantic | 5 | 1 PM | 30 min | none today |
| Kill Devil Hills | North Carolina Coast | 5 | 12 PM | 30 min | none today |
| Panama City Beach | Florida Panhandle | 5 | 11 AM | 30 min | none today |
| Duck Key | Florida Keys | 5 | 2 PM | 32 min | none today |
| Long Key | Florida Keys | 5 | 2 PM | 32 min | none today |
| Key Largo | Florida Keys | 4 | 2 PM | 33 min | none today |
| Grand Isle | Louisiana Gulf Coast | 4 | 12 PM | 34 min | none today |
| Myrtle Beach | Grand Strand | 4 | 11 AM | 34 min | none today |
| Hilton Head Island | Georgia & the Lowcountry | 3 | 1 PM | 47 min | none today |
| Chincoteague | Virginia Coast | 3 | 11 AM | 50 min | none today |
| Virginia Beach | Virginia Coast | 3 | 1 PM | 54 min | none today |
| Sandbridge Beach | Virginia Coast | 3 | 12 PM | 58 min | none today |
| Ocean City | Mid-Atlantic | 1 | 12 PM | 207 min | none today |
Minutes include a 15% uplift for sun bounced off sand and water. They are the unprotected number for an average person of that skin type; people vary, and sunscreen, shade and clothing all change it.
How the Burn Clock works
From UV index to minutes
UV index × 0.025 is the sun's burning power in watts per square metre. Each skin type needs a known dose to redden (its MED: 200 J/m² for very fair skin up to 1000 for deep brown). The dose divided by the power is the time.
Why the beach is faster
Sand and water bounce UV back up at you. Every number here includes a 15% reflection uplift, so it reads shorter than an inland UV app.
What it cannot know
It is the unprotected number for an average person of that skin type. People vary by 20% or more, and sunscreen, shade and clothing all change it. Treat it as the time to reach for shade.
Sunburn and UV at the beach: FAQ
How long does it take to get sunburned at the beach?
At UV 8, fair skin (type II) starts to burn in about 18 minutes at the beach, and very fair skin in about 14. At UV 4, fair skin takes about 36 minutes. Today the fastest burn in our catalog is at Cable Beach, about 19 minutes for fair skin at 2 PM. Pick your skin type and beach on the map above for the number at any hour today.
What time is the sun strongest at the beach?
At local solar noon, which is rarely 12:00 on the clock. Under daylight saving time it falls between about 1 and 2 PM on most U.S. coasts. The table on this page gives each beach's own peak hour and the window when unprotected skin burns in under 25 minutes.
Why do you burn faster at the beach?
Sand and water reflect UV back at you, so you get the sun from above and below. Every number on this page includes a 15% reflection uplift, which is why it reads shorter than a general UV app for the same index.
Can you get sunburned on a cloudy day at the beach?
Yes. Thin or broken cloud lets most UV through, and the edges of bright clouds can briefly raise it. The UV index here is the forecast with the expected cloud already applied, so a grey morning can still show a burn window.
Does sunscreen let me stay out longer by its SPF number?
Not reliably. SPF is measured at a thick lab dose most people never apply, so multiplying your burn time by the SPF number overestimates protection. Use SPF 30 or higher, reapply every two hours and after every swim, and use shade at the peak hours.
UV index: Open-Meteo forecast for each beach’s exact coordinates, hourly through its local day, refreshed several times a day. Daylight on the map is the sun’s altitude for today at each point. This is an estimate of a biological response, not medical advice.