Why UV peaks increase as we head deeper into summer

Heading into the summer months, we are going to see an increase in the average UV Index. This means more people are at risk of these damaging rays.

The UV Index charts the damage done by UV rays in a certain amount of time. The higher the value, the more at risk of health effects such as sunburns or increases in the likelihood of skin cancer.

The reasoning behind increasing UV rays as we head towards the summer lies in in the earth's tilt. During the summer months, the northern hemisphere is pointed more directly towards the sun intensifying the UV index. We typically see the highest value on average near July 3rd weather permitting other factors such as cloud cover and elevation.

The UV index approaching Wednesday climbs to a level eight leading to a possible sunburn within 20 minutes without proper spf protection such as sunblock or long sleeve clothing.