When It's Cloudy, You Can Still Get A Sunburn

People think cloudy skies mean they're safe from sunburn, but that's wrong and dangerous. Cloudy day sunburn happens because UV rays through clouds can still burn your skin, even when you can't see the sun at all.

Sunburn protection gets forgotten on overcast days because folks drop their guard. They skip sunscreen, leave hats at home, and spend hours outside thinking clouds protect them. But invisible ultraviolet radiation keeps damaging their skin and increasing cancer risk.

UV Rays Don't Care About Clouds

UV radiation dangers stay high even when clouds block the sun you can see. About 90% of UV rays punch right through light cloud cover like it's not even there. Thick storm clouds block more, but regular cloudy weather barely reduces UV levels.

In fact, light clouds can make UV exposure worse through the "broken cloud effect." Wispy clouds scatter and bounce UV radiation around, sometimes creating higher levels than clear skies. The clouds work like mirrors, reflecting extra UV rays down at people who think they're protected.