Thinking about enjoying your lunch out in the sunshine Tuesday? For the fairskinned among us, a word of advice: sit under a tree.
Tuesday's ultraviolet index level in the Los Angeles area will be 9, according to the National Weather Service. That high level means someone fair complected could burn in less time than it'd take to eat a sandwich.
The reading indicates what the UV exposure is expected to be at noon, when the sun's rays are at their strongest.
A reading of 0-2 indicates a minimal exposure level, and very fair skinned people could become sunburned in 30 minutes if not properly protected.
A reading of 3-4 is considered a low exposure level, reducing the danger range for those with fair complexions to 15-20 minutes if not protected.
A moderate exposure level of 5-6 indicates that a person with a fair complexion could be safe from sun burn for 10-12 minutes, unless protected.
A high exposure level reading of 7-9 means that a person could be sunburned in 7-8 minutes.
A very high exposure level reading of 10, or greater, means a fair skinned person could suffer a sunburn in about four minutes if not protected.
Ultraviolet radiation is blamed for a host of health problems, including skin cancer and cataracts.
So if you're thinking about plopping on a blanket to enjoy your lunch in , or , might want to consider doing so in the shade of a tree.
