Take special care to protect yourself from the sun when levels of ultra­violet exposure are high. The sun’s UV rays, for the most part, are filtered out by a layer of a gas in the atmosphere called the ozone layer.

Ozone levels vary daily and from place to place, but unfortunately, overall ozone levels are steadily decreasing due to problems with pollution. leaving us and our skin much more vulnerable to the rays of the sun. In fact, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration reports that the ozone layer is depleted at a rate of 4 to 6 percent each decade.
To alert you to days when UV rays are at their strongest, the National Weather Service and Environmental Protection Agency have developed a system to predict daily UV levels. The UV Index rates levels on a 1-to-lO scale, indicating how much UV radiation is reaching the earth’s surface during the hour around noon:
UV Index Exposure Level
0 to 2 minimal
3 to4 low
5 to 6 moderate
7to9 high
10+ very high

On days when levels are moderate or higher, be sure to wear sunscreen and take whatever special precautions are necessary to shield
yourself from the sun, especially if you work or exercise outdoors.
The UV Index, which is reported year-round, may be announced on local or all-weather stations, in the newspaper, or on the Internet. You can also get more information on the UV Index by contacting your local National Weather Service, listed in the blue pages of the phone book.