UV index in Pietermaritzburg today, hour by hour

Today’s UV, hour by hour

UV index through the day in Pietermaritzburg. Under 3 is low, 3 to 5 moderate, 6 to 7 high, 8 to 10 very high, 11 and above extreme.

What the UV has done so far today

This is the strongest part of the day in Pietermaritzburg. UV is about 7 at 13:00, at or within touching distance of today's peak of 7 (high) around 12:00, and it eases off after that.

These are modelled hourly figures for Pietermaritzburg, not a reading off a meter in the town. They are good for the shape of the day — when it climbs, when it peaks, when it lets go — and not for arguing over a tenth of a point.

How long before you burn in Pietermaritzburg

Roughly how long unprotected skin has at today’s peak of UV 7, fairest to deepest. Sunscreen, shade and clothing all extend it; these are a guide, not a stopwatch.

• 10 minVery fair skin that always burns, never tans
• 15 minFair skin that burns easily and tans a little
• 30 minLight skin that burns sometimes, then tans
• 45 minOlive skin that rarely burns and tans easily
• 55 minBrown skin that burns only in strong sun
• 1 h 10 minDeep brown or black skin that rarely burns

The safe window today

UV climbs past 3 at about 08:50 and drops back under it at about 16:00. Before and after that, sun protection is optional for most people; in between, it is the difference between a walk and a burn.

Is it safe to go outside in Pietermaritzburg today?

Yes — as long as you treat the middle of the day with respect. UV in Pietermaritzburg reaches about 7 (high) today, enough to burn unprotected fair skin in about 15 min. Sunscreen, a hat and shade between 08:50 and 16:00; before and after that you can be outside as long as you like.

That answer is about the sun and nothing else. Heat, storms, smoke and the air itself are separate questions with their own answers, and we would rather say so than let a UV page speak for the whole day. See the full verdict for Pietermaritzburg.

UV in Pietermaritzburg this week

Today is already as strong as the week gets in Pietermaritzburg, at about UV 7 (high), level with five other days. Nothing this week goes higher.

Each figure is that day's peak — the strongest the sun gets, around midday — not an average for the day. Under 3 is low, 3 to 5 moderate, 6 to 7 high, 8 to 10 very high, 11 and above extreme. UV a week out follows the sun's angle, which is certain, and the cloud, which is not, so the far end of the week can still move.

Why the sun is this strong in South Africa

Three things stack up. South Africa sits between about 22 and 35 degrees south, so the midday sun climbs far higher here than in Europe and its light passes through less atmosphere. Much of the country is high — the interior plateau sits above 1,000 metres and the Highveld above 1,300 — and UV rises by roughly 10% for every 1,000 metres of altitude. And the Earth is closest to the sun in early January, in the middle of our summer, which adds a few per cent more on top. That is why a southern-hemisphere summer noon is a harsher sun than most northern visitors expect.

Heat is not the signal. UV comes from the sun’s angle, not the temperature, which is why a cool, breezy day at the coast and a still, hot day inland can burn you at the same rate.

This is high ground — much of it sits between 1,000 and 1,500 metres, rising to the Drakensberg — and altitude adds roughly 10% more UV per 1,000 metres. Winter days here are often cold and completely clear, the combination that catches people out: the air bites, and the sun still burns.

More for Pietermaritzburg

• See everything for Pietermaritzburg →

UV nearby

• Durban
• Newcastle
• Vereeniging

Overhead is a free guide built on live open weather data from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0). It is advisory only — for official warnings and emergencies, follow the South African Weather Service.