Met Éireann forecasts sunny weather this weekend
With sunny weather forecast this May Bank Holiday weekend, many of us will be spending more time outdoors. The HSE National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP), in collaboration with Healthy Ireland and cross-sectoral partners, is reminding everyone to protect themselves from the damaging effects of exposure to UV radiation from the sun, and to make being SunSmart part of your daily routine.
UV is strongest between 11am and 3pm from April to September. When the UV index is 3 or above, you need to protect your skin and eyes and follow the Healthy Ireland SunSmart 5 S’s.
Liz Coleman, Deputy Head of Forecasting at Met Éireann says: “The higher the UV index, the higher the risk of skin and eye damage. When the UV index is 3 or above, you need to protect your skin and eyes by following the Healthy Ireland SunSmart 5 S’s. Also don’t assume that just because there is cloud that the sun’s rays are not damaging. Be prepared and plan ahead by checking the UV forecast on Met Éireann’s website at met.ie/uv-index”.
Enjoying the sun safely means understanding the UV Index, wearing protective clothing, seeking shade during the middle of the day and using sunscreen. The UV index is a good indicator of when the sun is most dangerous. It measures the strength of the sun’s UV rays so that you know how and when to protect your skin when outdoors. The higher the UV index, the higher the risk of skin and eye damage.
Remember the SunSmart 5 S’s, even when it’s cloudy:
- Slip on clothing that covers skin as much as possible
- Slop on broad-spectrum (UVA/UVB protection) sunscreen: Apply sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30+ for adults and 50+ for children, with high UVA protection and water-resistant. Reapply regularly.
- Slap on a wide-brimmed hat to protect your face, ears and neck.
- Seek shade especially if outdoors between 11am and 3pm from April to September when UV from the sun is strongest.
- Slide on sunglasses.
And remember, do not deliberately try to get a suntan. Avoid getting a sunburn. Never use a sunbed.
Dr Breeda Neville, Specialist in Public Health Medicine, HSE NCCP added: “With the sunny weather forecast for this weekend, people will have more opportunity to get outside and enjoy the outdoors. We want to remind everyone to enjoy the sun safely by following the SunSmart 5S’s. Making SunSmart part of your daily routine is just as important here in Ireland as it is when holidaying abroad as from April to September the sun’s UV rays are strong enough to damage your skin and increase your risk of skin cancer, even on cloudy days.”
Applying sunscreen - things to consider:
- Sunscreen comes labelled with an SPF, which stands for Sun Protection Factor. It is recommended to choose a sunscreen with an SPF of 30+ for adults and 50+ for children.
- Sunscreen should also have a UVA logo (letters "UVA" inside a circle), star rating, or PA rating all of which are used to indicate the level of UVA protection.
- The UVA logo in a circle is a European marking, indicating that the product conforms to EU recommendations for UVA protection.
- Star ratings, ranging from 1 to 5, indicate the percentage of UVA radiation absorbed, with 5 stars offering the highest level of protection.
- The PA rating system, originating in Japan, uses "+" signs to denote UVA protection, with PA++++ offering the highest level of protection.
- Apply generously and use more than you think you need. Don’t forget your nose, ears, neck, hands, feet, and lips.
- Apply sunscreen 20 minutes before going outside to allow it to absorb into the skin.
- Don’t forget to reapply every 2 hours or more often after swimming, towel drying or sweating.
- Using sunscreen doesn’t mean you can spend longer in the sun.
- Sunscreen loses effectiveness over time, so always check the expiry date before use.
- UV rays can penetrate clouds, so it's still important to use sunscreen even on cloudy, overcast days.
- It is better to protect babies up to 6 months old from sunlight by using shade and clothing rather than sunscreen.
For more information please see the SunSmart hub at www.hse.ie/sunsmart and check out #SunSmart on social media.
Last updated on: 30 / 04 / 2025
