Vitamin D in Australia in April: sun, UV and what to expect
Bad weather Bad weather: it rains on about 23 days in April (rainy or monsoon season), so sun is hard to count on and a beach stay is not recommended.
7.5 hsun window (UV 2.5+)
7.7peak UV Index
7 minto a full dose
28°Cafternoon high
23/30rainy days
28/30sunny days
The country rating is for a typical beach, but some places in Australia still work in April: Darwin (excellent), Exmouth (excellent), Broome (excellent), Brisbane (good), Perth (good).
How long in the sun in April?
- If you travel anyway, plan your sun session around midday (roughly 11:00 to 15:00), when the UV Index peaks at about 7.7. 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 26 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 8.1, 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 | 5 min | 9 min | 17 min |
| Type II | 6 min | 11 min | 22 min |
| Type III | 7 min | 13 min | 26 min |
| Type IV | 10 min | 19 min | 39 min |
| Type V | 14 min | 26 min | 52 min |
| Type VI | 23 min | 43 min | 87 min |
Minutes at midday for about 1,000 IU of vitamin D with a quarter of the body bare, at Great Barrier Reef, 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 Australia in April
| Place | Rating | Sun window | Full dose | Afternoon high | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Darwin | Excellent | 7.8 h | 7 min | 32°C | 9/30 |
| Exmouth | Excellent | 7.5 h | 7 min | 33°C | 1/30 |
| Broome | Excellent | 7.2 h | 7 min | 33°C | 3/30 |
| Brisbane | Good | 6.6 h | 9 min | 26°C | 12/30 |
| Perth | Good | 6.5 h | 10 min | 28°C | 1/30 |
| Margaret River | Good | 6.4 h | 10 min | 25°C | 1/30 |
| Gold Coast | Good | 6.4 h | 9 min | 25°C | 15/30 |
| Noosa Heads | Good | 6.3 h | 9 min | 25°C | 15/30 |
| Byron Bay | Good | 6.2 h | 9 min | 24°C | 17/30 |
| Cairns | Bad weather | 7.3 h | 7 min | 29°C | 18/30 |
| Great Barrier Reef | Bad weather | 7.5 h | 7 min | 28°C | 23/30 |
| Airlie Beach | Bad weather | 7.2 h | 8 min | 26°C | 18/30 |
| Port Douglas | Bad weather | 7.2 h | 8 min | 28°C | 23/30 |
| K'gari | Bad weather | 6.5 h | 8 min | 26°C | 19/30 |
| Adelaide | Too cold | 5.7 h | 10 min | 20°C | 4/30 |
| Sydney | Too cold | 5.3 h | 11 min | 22°C | 11/30 |
| Bondi Beach | Too cold | 5.4 h | 11 min | 22°C | 11/30 |
| Melbourne | Too cold | 4.6 h | 12 min | 18°C | 12/30 |
| Great Ocean Road | Too cold | 3.9 h | 13 min | 17°C | 15/30 |
| Hobart | Too cold | 3.5 h | 15 min | 17°C | 5/30 |
Other months in Australia
- Jan Too cold
- Feb Too cold
- Mar Too cold
- Apr Bad weather
- May Bad weather
- Jun Too cold
- Jul Too cold
- Aug Good
- Sep Excellent
- Oct Excellent
- Nov Too cold
- Dec Excellent
Best months: August to October, December. Full Australia guide