How's the UV index? Keeping sun safe this spring

The weekend is here and if the sunshine is out in your town, perhaps you are planning to be outdoors at the park, beach, or pool, you must know how to protect yourself and your loved ones from harmful rays. Here are some tips on how to stay safe under its rays.

Anyone can be affected by the damage of sun overexposure, no matter your skin tone.

Therefore, it is important to stay safe when exposed to the sun, the simplest ways to stay protected are by using sunscreen, wearing a hat, and covering skin. This can save your skin the risk of painful damage due to being exposed to the sun.

You should also stay on top of the day's UV-Index rating which can be found here on the Weather and Radar app with your daily forecast.

This index ranges from one, little risk, to 11, extreme risk of damage. As summer approaches you need to watch out for any rating of three or higher. For example, South Florida has been in a solid 10 all week, between noon and 3 p.m.

At high levels, it is advised to keep out of direct sunlight around midday. It is also important to make sure protective clothing is worn and sunscreen with an SPF of 30+ is applied every two hours to prevent sunburn and irritation.

There are three types of UV rays: UVA, UVB, and UVC. UVC is the most dangerous form of UV radiation, but luckily this is absorbed by the atmosphere before it reaches Earth. UVB penetrates the top layer of the skin and leads to sunburn.

UVA, however, is the most potent source of UV which we are exposed to all year long. UVA can even pass through windows and clouds and penetrates deep into our skin leading to aging and increasing our risk of skin cancer.

This year make sure that you stay protected from the risks of sun exposure and spread the word to educate others on how to avoid the risk of the sun damaging your skin.