UV Index Australia today
Live UV index for 32 Australian cities, with today’s peak, the hourly forecast and sun protection times in each city’s own time zone. Protect your skin whenever UV is 3 or above.
My places
Sun protection needed in 30 of 32 cities right now
Live · highest UV now
9.4
Broome, WA
- 0–2 LowSun protection not usually needed. Protect if you’re outdoors for long periods or near reflective surfaces such as snow.
- 3–5 ModerateSun protection recommended: Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek, Slide.
- 6–7 HighSun protection recommended. Seek shade in the middle of the day.
- 8–10 Very highSun protection recommended. Skin damage can happen quickly; seek shade in the middle of the day.
- 11+ ExtremeSun protection recommended. Skin damage can happen very quickly; seek shade in the middle of the day.
Sun protection recommended wherever UV is 3 or above
Data updated 3 min ago
UV by city
Daylight: UV now · after dark: next forecast peak
UV index New South Wales
UV index Victoria
UV index Queensland
UV index Western Australia
UV index South Australia
UV index Tasmania
UV index Australian Capital Territory
UV index Northern Territory
What the UV levels mean
- 0–2 LowSun protection not usually needed. Protect if you’re outdoors for long periods or near reflective surfaces such as snow.
- 3–5 ModerateSun protection recommended: Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek, Slide.
- 6–7 HighSun protection recommended. Seek shade in the middle of the day.
- 8–10 Very highSun protection recommended. Skin damage can happen quickly; seek shade in the middle of the day.
- 11+ ExtremeSun protection recommended. Skin damage can happen very quickly; seek shade in the middle of the day.
Slip on clothing, Slop on SPF50+ broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen (20 minutes before going outdoors, reapply every 2 hours), Slap on a broad-brimmed hat, Seek shade, Slide on sunglasses. Cancer Council advice
Learn: UV basics
- Sun protection is recommended whenever UV is 3 or above, for everyone. Cancer Council
- UV can’t be seen or felt, and temperature isn’t a guide. UV can be high on cool or overcast days, and it passes through thin cloud. Cancer Council
- UV is the major cause of skin cancer. UV damage also causes sunburn, tanning, premature ageing and eye damage. Cancer Council
- Use all five steps: Slip on covering clothing, Slop on SPF50+ broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen, Slap on a broad-brimmed hat, Seek shade and Slide on sunglasses. Cancer Council
- Apply sunscreen 20 minutes before going outdoors and reapply every 2 hours, and after swimming or sweating. ARPANSA
- Below UV 3, protection isn’t usually needed unless you’re outdoors for long periods or near reflective surfaces such as snow. Cancer Council
More on SunSmart and the Bureau of Meteorology sun protection times. General information only, not medical advice.
UV questions
What time is UV highest today?
UV is highest in the middle of the day, around solar noon: in most places roughly 10am to 2pm, or 11am to 3pm in daylight saving time. Each city page shows today’s forecast peak hour and the hours when UV is 3 or above, in local time.
When do I need sun protection?
Cancer Council recommends sun protection whenever the UV index is 3 or above. UV can be high on cool or overcast days, so check the UV, not the temperature.
What is a high UV index in Australia?
UV 6–7 is High, 8–10 Very high and 11+ Extreme (WHO UV index bands). Much of Australia reaches Very high or Extreme in summer.
Where does the UV data come from?
UV values are forecast and model values from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), refreshed about every 10 minutes for each city in its own time zone. They are not instrument readings and can differ from official forecasts.
What does Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek, Slide mean?
Slip on covering clothing, Slop on SPF50+ broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen, Slap on a broad-brimmed hat, Seek shade and Slide on sunglasses: Cancer Council’s five sun protection steps, recommended whenever UV is 3 or above.
Plan the week
Hour-by-hour forecast UV for the next 7 days. Highlighted hours are daylight hours forecast below UV 3.
The weekly planner needs JavaScript. Each city page has hour-by-hour sun protection times and a 3-day outlook.
History
Recorded daily peak UV for the last 14 days.
Data & labels
- Live
- The UV value for the current hour in that place’s own time zone.
- Recorded
- Earlier hours: the model’s hourly values, captured by uvindex.au every hour. They are not instrument readings.
- Forecast
- Later hours and days. Forecasts can change, especially with cloud, so check again on the day.
Sources and licences
- UV forecasts and recorded values: Open-Meteo, licensed under CC BY 4.0. These are model values and may differ from official readings.
- Coastline: Natural Earth 1:10m (public domain).
- Sun protection guidance: Cancer Council SunSmart. uvindex.au is independent and not affiliated with ARPANSA, the Bureau of Meteorology or Cancer Council.
Times and updates
- Every time is shown in the place’s own time zone, including half-hour zones such as ACST and ACDT, with the zone name beside it.
- City values refresh about every 10 minutes. The map grid refreshes every 3 hours, and recorded history is captured hourly.
Methodology · Sources & licence · Open data / API coming soon