What is the UV index in Denver, Colorado?

Answer 1

This is what the Ultraviolet (UV) Index is: "In response to the increasing incidence of skin cancer, cataracts, and other effects from exposure to the suns harmful rays, the National Weather Service (NWS) the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are collaborating on a now sun awareness information program.

Central to this program is an Experimental Ultraviolet (UV) Index which has been developed by the National Meteorological Center, a part of the National Weather Service. The EPA Office of Research and Development provided partial funding for the development of this Index. The Index is a next-day forecast of the likely exposure to ultraviolet radiation for a particular location at noon. This summer the NWS will issue the Index as a daily product on a experimental pilot basis for a limited number of cities."

So the UV Index for Denver changes day-to-day. Today it's Extreme (11+) meaning you better take precautions to protect your skin while you're outside. Check the link below to get that day's UV Index forecast.

Answer 2

The UV index does change day to day but it tends to be pretty high in Denver, especially during the summer. I think it may be partly due to the altitude since we are closer to the sun. Also we get an average of about 300 days of sunny days here so keep that in mind.

Answer 3

The sun is more intense in Denver than "most" places in the USA because of the elevation. From sea level to 5280 feet, the air is thicker than Denver's air, and usually has some haze to it to filter the sun's rays. If you've never been to Denver before, you'll be awed by the (usually) deep blue sky. Go on up to the top of, say, Loveland Pass, at about 11,000 feet, on a sunny day, and witness a sky that is almost violet!

It has nothing to do with "closeness to the sun". As the earth rotates, we move thousands of MILES, not feet, toward the sun in the morning, and thousands of miles away from the sun in the afternoon. At 10AM, New York is closer to the sun than Denver.