Vitamin D in Alabama in August: sun, UV and what to expect
Too hot Too hot here in August: afternoon highs average 33°C (feels like 39°C). Heat stress is a real risk, so a beach stay is not recommended. Try another month or destination.
8.4 hsun window (UV 2.5+)
8.0peak UV Index
7 minto a full dose
33°Cafternoon high
6/30rainy days
28/30sunny days
How long in the sun in August?
- If you travel anyway, plan your sun session around midday (roughly 11:00 to 15:00), when the UV Index peaks at about 8.0. With about a quarter of your skin bare, a full dose takes around 7 minutes for skin type III at age 30, and about 13 minutes at age 65.
- Stop well before your skin turns pink. At this UV level skin type III can start to burn after about 25 minutes of midday sun, so cover up, find shade and use SPF 30+ on skin that stays out.
- On clear days the UV Index reaches about 8.3, which is very strong. Keep sessions short and protect the rest of the day.
- Water, sand and light surfaces reflect UV, so at the beach you get a little more sun than the number suggests, for the good and the bad.
| Skin type | Full dose, age 30 | Full dose, age 65 | Time to burn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type I | 4 min | 8 min | 17 min |
| Type II | 6 min | 10 min | 21 min |
| Type III | 7 min | 13 min | 25 min |
| Type IV | 10 min | 19 min | 38 min |
| Type V | 13 min | 25 min | 50 min |
| Type VI | 22 min | 42 min | 83 min |
Minutes at midday for about 1,000 IU of vitamin D with a quarter of the body bare, at Orange Beach, the median coastal place. Time to burn is the time to reach one minimal erythemal dose and does not depend on age. A rough planning guide, not medical advice.
Places in Alabama in August
| Place | Rating | Sun window | Full dose | Afternoon high | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Morgan | Bad weather | 8.4 h | 7 min | 31°C | 6/30 |
| Dauphin Island | Bad weather | 8.1 h | 7 min | 31°C | 5/30 |
| Orange Beach | Too hot | 8.4 h | 7 min | 33°C | 6/30 |
| Gulf Shores | Too hot | 8.6 h | 7 min | 33°C | 6/30 |
| Mobile | Too hot | 8.1 h | 7 min | 35°C | 5/30 |
Other months in Alabama
- Jan Too cold
- Feb Too cold
- Mar Too cold
- Apr Excellent
- May Excellent
- Jun Excellent
- Jul Excellent
- Aug Too hot
- Sep Bad weather
- Oct Good
- Nov Good
- Dec Too cold
Best months: April to July, October, November. Full Alabama guide