Vitamin D in Texas in October: sun, UV and what to expect
Good Good. A full dose takes about 8 minutes at midday, and the usable window is about 6.9 hours a day.
6.9 hsun window (UV 2.5+)
6.3peak UV Index
8 minto a full dose
30°Cafternoon high
3/30rainy days
28/30sunny days
Best places in Texas in October: South Padre Island (good), Padre Island National Seashore (good), Port Aransas (good), Corpus Christi (good), Galveston (good).
How long in the sun in October?
- Plan your sun session around midday (roughly 11:00 to 15:00), when the UV Index peaks at about 6.3. With about a quarter of your skin bare, a full dose takes around 8 minutes for skin type III at age 30, and about 16 minutes at age 65.
- Stop well before your skin turns pink. At this UV level skin type III can start to burn after about 32 minutes of midday sun, so cover up, find shade and use SPF 30+ on skin that stays out.
- Storm season: October is within the tropical storm season here. Storms are possible but less likely than at the peak, so check forecasts and use flexible bookings and travel insurance.
- 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 | 6 min | 11 min | 21 min |
| Type II | 7 min | 13 min | 26 min |
| Type III | 8 min | 16 min | 32 min |
| Type IV | 13 min | 24 min | 48 min |
| Type V | 17 min | 32 min | 63 min |
| Type VI | 28 min | 53 min | 1.8 h |
Minutes at midday for about 1,000 IU of vitamin D with a quarter of the body bare, at Port Aransas, 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 October
| Place | Rating | Sun window | Full dose | Afternoon high | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Padre Island | Good | 7.1 h | 8 min | 29°C | 5/30 |
| Padre Island National Seashore | Good | 7.0 h | 8 min | 29°C | 7/30 |
| Port Aransas | Good | 6.9 h | 8 min | 30°C | 3/30 |
| Corpus Christi | Good | 6.9 h | 9 min | 30°C | 0/30 |
| Galveston | Good | 6.5 h | 9 min | 27°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