UV index and sunburn time in South Africa
Peak UV index and how quickly unprotected skin burns, for 18 cities in South Africa.
| City | Peak UV | Category | Month | Burns after |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johannesburg | 15.5 | Extreme | January | 15 min |
| Cape Town | 12.2 | Extreme | January | 19 min |
| Durban | 13.2 | Extreme | January | 18 min |
| Pretoria | 15.3 | Extreme | January | 15 min |
| Soweto | 15.4 | Extreme | January | 15 min |
| Gqeberha | 12.4 | Extreme | January | 19 min |
| Soshanguve | 15.2 | Extreme | January | 15 min |
| Pietermaritzburg | 13.7 | Extreme | January | 17 min |
| Evaton | 15.2 | Extreme | January | 15 min |
| Benoni | 15.4 | Extreme | January | 15 min |
| Bloemfontein | 14.6 | Extreme | January | 16 min |
| Thembisa | 15.4 | Extreme | January | 15 min |
| East London | 12.6 | Extreme | January | 19 min |
| Vereeniging | 15.2 | Extreme | January | 15 min |
| Boksburg | 15.4 | Extreme | January | 15 min |
| Welkom | 14.8 | Extreme | January | 16 min |
| Newcastle | 14.6 | Extreme | January | 16 min |
| Krugersdorp | 15.5 | Extreme | January | 15 min |
The same UV also drives vitamin D synthesis — and stops entirely for part of the year at higher latitudes. Vitamin D winters in South Africa →
Burn times are for skin type III with no sunscreen. How these are calculated