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Monday, 3 December 2001
MEDIA RELEASE - HEAD OFFICE
Bureau / Cancer Council deliver UV forecasts via Web
Australians planning a day at the tennis or a spot of work in the garden will be able to predict their chances of suffering sunburn and skin damage by logging on to the Internet. To mark the start of summer, the Bureau of Meteorology, in conjunction with the Cancer Council of Australia, has updated its website to provide Australians with improved daily ultraviolet radiation or "UV" forecasts and information.
Designed in response to increasing public demand for information about UV, the site features an easy to read map and informative graphs illustrating how UV levels rise and fall according to the time of day. This feature gives site visitors an idea of when and for how long they should use sun protection while outdoors.
In a recent national study of public weather users, one in four respondents said they used UV Index forecasts to plan their day's activity (AC Nielsen Public Weather User Survey, September 2001). UV levels in Australia can rise to extreme levels as early as September and remain high until as late as April. It can take as little as 12 minutes to suffer sunburn and skin damage.
In launching the new UV graphs, Tim Bruce, National Program Coordinator of the Bureau's Public Weather Services, said many Australians would be surprised at how intense UV levels could be, particularly during summer. "At this time of year, UV can start to rise into the high to very high as early as 9am and can stay that way until as late as 6pm, increasing your chances of getting burnt," he said. "By providing daily UV graphs via the Internet, we hope Australians will become more vigilant about protecting their skin from the sun, reducing their chances of getting skin cancer."
Spokesperson for the Cancer Council, Craig Sinclair, said the graphs were a vital weapon in the fight against skin cancer. "Many people still judge their need for sun protection according to temperature, not realising that UV levels are not related. UV can still be extreme even on cool or cloudy days over the summer months. Given that these graphs are simple and easy to read, I would recommend all Australians refer to the Bureau's website when planning any outdoor activity so they can be 100 per cent prepared," he said.
The UV index graphs show when solar UVB radiation (radiation most likely to cause sunburn) is expected to be at dangerous levels. On average, UVB reaches high to extreme levels between 10am and 3pm. It is still possible to burn outside these times.
To avoid exposure to harmful UV radiation, follow this advice:
* reduce your exposure to sunlight, especially between 10am and 3pm,
* wear covering clothing and a broad-brimmed hat teamed with a pair of wrap-around sunglasses,
* apply SPF30+ sunscreen 20 minutes before heading outside and reapply regularly.
Overexposure to UV can lead to sunburn, cataracts and skin cancers. Currently one in two Australians will develop skin cancer at some stage during their lives.
Ends
Further information:
Craig Sinclair, The Cancer Council Australia, tel: 0418 315 337
Tim Bruce, Bureau of Meteorology, tel: 0418 861 982
Backgrounder
Accessing UV forecasts via the web:
Graphical forecasts for each capital city and Alice Springs can be accessed through the Bureau's website www.bom.gov.au that receives 1.2 million hits a day on average (Web usage statistics, Bureau of Meteorology, November 2001). Click on your State on the map of Australia, then click "Forecast index". Towards the bottom of the list of forecasts is "UV Index forecast graph for ..." Click on that link. To gain a national perspective, select "National" on the homepage. The Bureau also issues text forecasts of the UV Index for a number of provincial centres across the country. UV and sun protection information is also available at www.cancer.org.au
Readings for December 1, 2001
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