Japan Meteorological Agency Starts Daily UV Forecasts

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) started to provide daily information on outdoor ultraviolet (UV) radiation on its website on May 17, 2005.

International studies have shown that excessive UV exposure increases the risk of illnesses such as skin cancer and cataracts. The JMA recommends measures to protect the body from UV rays based on the UV index, which quantifies the amount of UV radiation.

The World Health Organization has urged countries to adopt UV indexes, and the Ministry of the Environment has supported this recommendation in Japan, which uses a UV index (a numerical rating from 0 to 10+). For an index value of 1 to 2, it is safe to stay outdoors. For a value of 3 to 7, people should stay in the shade and wear long sleeves, sunscreen, and hats. For a value of 8 or more, people are urged to take those precautions when outdoors, but to stay indoors during the daytime whenever possible.

The JMA has already been observing UV radiation for some time, but can now forecast the amount that will reach the Earth's surface, thanks to technological improvements such as the use of calculation methods used for weather forecasting. The website uses the UV index to provide information graphically, including predicted and actual UV intensity levels nationwide.

http://www.jma.go.jp/en/uv/index.html

Posted: 2005/08/27 05:13:41 PM
Japanese version