Vitamin D in Texas in February: sun, UV and what to expect
Too cold Too cold here in February: afternoon highs average only 21.4°C, which is too chilly for sunbathing in light clothing. Try another month or a warmer destination.
5.8 hsun window (UV 2.5+)
5.4peak UV Index
10 minto a full dose
21°Cafternoon high
4/30rainy days
22/30sunny days
The country rating is for a typical beach, but some places in Texas still work in February: Padre Island National Seashore (good), Corpus Christi (good).
How long in the sun in February?
- If you travel anyway, plan your sun session around midday (roughly 11:00 to 15:00), when the UV Index peaks at about 5.4. With about a quarter of your skin bare, a full dose takes around 10 minutes for skin type III at age 30, and about 19 minutes at age 65.
- Stop well before your skin turns pink. At this UV level skin type III can start to burn after about 37 minutes of midday sun, so cover up, find shade and use SPF 30+ on skin that stays out.
- 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 | 7 min | 12 min | 25 min |
| Type II | 8 min | 15 min | 31 min |
| Type III | 10 min | 19 min | 37 min |
| Type IV | 15 min | 28 min | 56 min |
| Type V | 20 min | 37 min | 74 min |
| Type VI | 33 min | 62 min | 2.1 h |
Minutes at midday for about 1,000 IU of vitamin D with a quarter of the body bare, at South Padre Island, 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 Texas in February
| Place | Rating | Sun window | Full dose | Afternoon high | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Padre Island National Seashore | Good | 5.5 h | 10 min | 22°C | 2/30 |
| Corpus Christi | Good | 5.5 h | 10 min | 23°C | 3/30 |
| South Padre Island | Too cold | 5.8 h | 10 min | 21°C | 4/30 |
| Port Aransas | Too cold | 5.6 h | 10 min | 21°C | 2/30 |
| Galveston | Too cold | 5.4 h | 10 min | 18°C | 3/30 |
Other months in Texas
- Jan Too cold
- Feb Too cold
- Mar Good
- Apr Excellent
- May Excellent
- Jun Excellent
- Jul Excellent
- Aug Too hot
- Sep Bad weather
- Oct Good
- Nov Good
- Dec Good
Best months: March to July, October to December. Full Texas guide