Map of peak UVI, using a modified colour scale to highlight the absolute peaks. Figure 2 uses a modified colour scale and shows that the highest values of UVI occur in the Peruvian Andes and throughout the Altiplano region. The maximum UVI of 25 is for the grid cell at 13.5° S, 172° W, centred on Cuzco in Peru.
Australia's unusually harsh sunshine results mainly from its location in the Southern Hemisphere. The elliptical orbit of the Earth places the Southern Hemisphere closer to the sun during its summer months than the Northern Hemisphere during its summer.
Australia experiences some of the highest levels of UV radiation in the world because we are close to the equator and have many clear, blue-sky days.
New Zealand's rather cool and temperate temperatures can easily hide the harmful effects of the sun. Yet in any season and any weather, the New Zealand sun can burn. Many people say they get more sunburned in New Zealand than anywhere else in the world, even Australia!
During summer, the Earth's orbit brings Australia closer to the sun (as compared to Europe during its summer), resulting in an additional 7% solar UV intensity. Coupled with our clearer atmospheric conditions, this means that Australians are exposed to up to 15% more UV than Europeans.
Australia has some of the highest levels of UV radiation in the world – in fact, UV radiation is strong enough to cause sunburn in as little as 11 minutes on a fine summer day. UV radiation from the sun is also one of the best natural sources for vitamin D so a balance is important.
Australia is near the equator so we experience high UV levels. time of year: our elliptical orbit around the sun and our axial tilt combine to ensure that we are closer to the sun in our summer than the northern hemisphere e.g. in summer the UK has UV Index 6–8, while Australia has UV Index 10–14.
UV problem of another kind
"Tasmania is unique with the fact that in summer it gets to extreme level, and in winter it doesn't even get to moderate," Mr Carr said.
More about ozone layer depletion
This includes a five to nine per cent depletion over Australia since the 1960s, which has increased the risk that Australians already face from over-exposure to UV radiation resulting from our outdoor lifestyle.
Oodnadatta, South Australia
The record for the highest official temperature ever recorded in Australia belongs to the remote outback town of Oodnadatta in South Australia.
The city of Perth has the best weather/climate in Australia. The city enjoys a temperate Mediterranean climate with hot and dry summers and mild but wet winters. Perth is also the sunniest capital city in Australia and is considered one of the hottest experiencing over 250+ days of sunny blue skies.
The sun always rises in the east and sets in the west in Australia, but not exactly due east or due west. There is some seasonal variation in the exact direction that the sun sets – the sun rises due east only two times per year (the equinoxes).
The stratospheric ozone layer absorbs the biologically damaging wavelengths of ultraviolet (UV) rays but in the 1970s, Australia's ozone layer was severely thinned as a consequence of heavy use of ozone-depleting, substances such as chloroflurocarbons (CFCs) and hydro-chloroflurocarbons (HCFCs).
At mid-latitudes, such as New Zealand, it is thickest during spring and thinnest during autumn. This means the ozone layer over New Zealand thins during summer, providing less protection from UV sunlight when we are closest to the sun and the sun is highest in the sky.
The lowest values occur in June-July where the UV Index averages less than 2 over Tasmania, increasing to almost 8-9 in far northern Australia.
So how do you decide what is a good UV index for tanning? *This is a general recommendation and varies depending on your location, altitude, and skin tone. Moderate includes UV index ranges from an index of 3 to 5, vs. high which is 6-7, very high which is 8-10 and extreme which is 11+.
NASA - UV Exposure Has Increased Over the Last 30 Years, but Stabilized Since the Mid-1990s.
Because ozone is generated at the equator, it gets transported to higher latitudes, and that transport is more efficient in the southern hemisphere, and that factor is about a 10% effect.
Many people have observed that people 'tan faster' in the Southern Hemisphere, compared to equivalent latitudes in Europe. Some Australians even say the sun is 'less bright' on a European beach.
Australia experiences some of the highest levels of UV radiation in the world because we are close to the equator and have many clear, blue-sky days.
The temperature is different in England and Australia
Weirdly, as I've always said, 22C in England feels a lot hotter than 22C in Australia. And this isn't just in England. When we visited Italy and Greece recently, I got sunburnt when it was just 19C.
Australia is warmer than New Zealand, with a summer average of 30°C and winter average of 15°C. New Zealand, is a touch cooler, with a summer average around 20 to 25 degrees and a winter average around 12°.