Phoenix, Arizona UV Index
Phoenix UV index today — burn time, EPA scale, and sun-protection guidance
Phoenix, AZ · UV Index right now
No burn risk right now
UV 0.6Low
A UV index of 0.6 sits in the EPA Low band: sunburn risk is minimal for most people, and no sun protection is needed for the average person outdoors.
Peak UV today: 10:34 AM–2:34 PM
Estimated from today’s sunrise and sunset: UV is strongest in the two hours either side of solar noon (12:34 PM local time).
EPA UV Index scale
Current reading: UV 0.6 — Low.
Sun protection right now
- SPF & cover-up
- No protection needed for most people. You can safely stay outside.
- Reapply
- Reapply every two hours and after swimming or heavy sweating.
- Safe exposure
- At UV below 3 there is no meaningful burn risk for most people. You can be outside without sunscreen, though sunglasses still protect your eyes.
EPA / WHO sun-safety guidance; type III skin baseline. Current band: Low.
Burn time by skin type
How fast unprotected skin can begin to redden depends on the UV index and your Fitzpatrick skin type. Below UV 3 (Low), burn risk is minimal for most people.
See the full minutes-to-burn table for every UV level and all six skin types in the sunburn-time guide.
UV through the year in Phoenix
At Phoenix’s mid-latitude the sun’s height swings widely through the year, and UV runs strongest in May, when the estimated clear-sky peak UV index reaches about 12 around solar noon. At that peak the noon sun reaches about 75° above the horizon. Each month below pairs the noon sun elevation with the estimated peak UV and how fast unprotected skin can begin to redden.
| Month | Noon sunelevation | Peak UVclear-sky est. | Type Imin to burn | Type IIImin to burn | Type VImin to burn |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 35° | 3 | 30 | 44 | 148 |
| February | 44° | 5 | 18 | 27 | 89 |
| March | 54° | 8 | 11 | 17 | 56 |
| April | 66° | 10 | 9 | 13 | 44 |
| May | 75° | 12 | 7 | 11 | 37 |
| June | 80° | 12 | 7 | 11 | 37 |
| July | 78° | 12 | 7 | 11 | 37 |
| August | 70° | 11 | 8 | 12 | 40 |
| September | 59° | 9 | 10 | 15 | 49 |
| October | 48° | 6 | 15 | 22 | 74 |
| November | 38° | 4 | 22 | 33 | 111 |
| December | 33° | 3 | 30 | 44 | 148 |
Clear-sky estimate from sun angle and elevation — day-to-day clouds and ozone shift the real index up or down. Burn times are first-redness approximations for unprotected skin, not a safe-exposure budget.
Frequently asked
- When is UV strongest in Phoenix?
- In Phoenix the sun rides highest around May, when the estimated clear-sky peak UV index reaches about 12. Within any day it peaks near solar noon — roughly 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. local time. It is also stronger at higher elevation and near reflective surfaces like water, sand, and snow.
- Can you get sunburned on a cloudy day in Phoenix?
- Yes. Up to about 80% of UV radiation passes through clouds, so you can still burn in Phoenix on an overcast day. The WHO notes that thin or scattered cloud offers little protection — check the UV Index, not the sky.
UV & sun-safety guides
See how the UV Index works — including why clouds are no shield — plus evergreen guides to burn time, vitamin D, skin-cancer risk, and when UV is strongest, collected on the UV Index hub.
More for Phoenix
See the full Phoenix, AZ weather forecast — hour-by-hour outlook, NOAA radar, satellite, and air quality.