Several apps that provide forecasts of the UV index (UVI) are available for smartphones.
NIWA Weather app
The NIWA Weather app gives forecasts out to six days and 48-hour UV forecasts. You can view the UV forecasts with or without cloud cover using a simple toggle and the forecast gives you recommendations about sun protection needed.
- Download the app from the Google Play Store.
- Download the app from the Apple App Store.
uv2Day (this uses NIWA data but is not a NIWA product)
NIWA data is also used in the uv2Day app. This app:
- Provides forecasts of the UV Index (UVI) with and without cloud effects throughout the day for locations within the New Zealand, Australia and South Pacific region, including Antarctica.
- Can forecast the UVI for your nearest location or you can select a location.
- Includes behavioural messages and is useful for planning activities to optimise sun exposure throughout the year, as well as for understanding what the UVI means.
UV2Day is freely available for iPhone and Android.
- Download the app from the Google Play Store
- Download the app from the Apple App Store
GlobalUV (this uses NIWA data but is not a NIWA product)
GlobalUV provides estimates of the current UVI and how it is expected to vary throughout the day at any location throughout the globe. The app:
- Provides behavioural advice on how long you can remain in sunlight before damage occurs for your selected skin type.
- Helps you plan your day to optimise your UV exposure.
- Is an extension of the uv2Day app (which applies only to the Pacific region, where aerosol extinctions are small). Unlike uv2Day, GlobalUV uses forecasts of ozone and cloud effects to calculate UVI on the fly. At a small cost in speed, there is a huge benefit in versatility.
- GlobalUV also provides information about position, altitude, sun elevation angle, ozone amounts, aerosol extinctions, and effects of clouds and surface reflectance (e.g., due to snow cover) and shows the current global pattern of UVI.
GlobalUV is freely available for android and iPhones. The android version can also display clear-sky UVI values for other seasons at any location.
- Download the app from the Google Play Store.
- Download the app from the Apple App Store.
