Experts are warning Kiwis to be extra cautious this
summer, with ultraviolet (UV) radiation levels averaging
higher compared to 2021.
UV radiation is produced by
the sun and too much exposure can damage our health by
causing sunburn, premature aging, and increasing the risk of
skin cancer.
According to NIWA, peak clear sky UV
index levels between noon and 1pm at Leigh, Auckland have
been 5% more on average and up to 10% higher over the last
month compared with the same period last year.
The
higher the UV index, the stronger the sun’s UV rays and
the faster you may burn. A UV index level of 3 or more is
enough to cause skin damage.
It has already reached UV
level 8 in New Zealand this week. For comparison, UV 8 is
rare in the UK, even in the height of summer.
UV Index
levels are predicted to reach between 6 and 7 in the south,
7 to 8 in central parts, and between 8 and 9 in the north
over the Labour weekend.
NIWA meteorologist Dr Richard
Turner says that NZ is likely experiencing elevated clear
sky UV levels due to a slight depletion of the ozone layer
over the past few months.
“Our atmosphere shields us
from a lot of the sun’s radiation because of the thin
ozone layer in our stratosphere, which absorbs most of the
UV. However, values taken at our atmospheric research
station in Lauder show that ozone levels are at or near the
lower end of what we’d expect at this time of the year,”
said Dr Turner.
The ozone layer naturally breaks down
and restores, but it has become thinner over time. This is
particularly prominent over Antarctica, where a large hole
forms in the spring with the effects felt in New Zealand
over summer.
The most common cause is manufactured
chemicals such as CFCs, which were phased out in the 1990s
but linger in our atmosphere for decades.
Another
cause of ozone depletion is volcanic eruptions. This is
leading some scientists to think that January’s eruption
of the underwater Tongan volcano – which caused the biggest
explosion in modern times – could be factor in what we’re
now experiencing.
Recent
research suggests that the Tongan volcano injected so
much water into the stratosphere that it may have created
conditions that caused further loss of ozone. Luckily, any
effect from the Tongan volcano on the ozone is reversible,
as the water will be removed from the stratosphere in a few
years.
Hazel Potterton, National Advisor: SunSmart
from Cancer Society of New Zealand said that until then,
this is of particular concern in New Zealand due to our
ozone already being some of the thinnest in the
world.
“New Zealand often ranks highest in the world
for skin cancer rates. Even on cloudy days, you can burn
within minutes, and people are often caught out at this time
of year,” said Hazel Potterton.
“The good news is, you
can help protect yourself by being SunSmart and remembering
to slip, slop, slap, and wrap. This means slipping on
clothes to cover as much skin as possible; slipping into
shade, especially during the middle of the day; slopping on
sunscreen of at least SPF 30 every two hours; slapping on a
wide-brimmed hat; and wrapping on close-fitting,
sun-protective sunglasses.”
NIWA provides Cancer
Society of New Zealand with daily UV level forecasts, which
can be accessed via the free UVNZ
app .
For more information on being SunSmart,
visit www.sunsmart.org.nz
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