Vitamin D in Virginia in January: sun, UV and what to expect

Too cold Too cold here in January: afternoon highs average only 10.6°C, which is too chilly for sunbathing in light clothing. Try another month or a warmer destination.

2.3 hsun window (UV 2.5+)

2.7peak UV Index

20 minto a full dose

11°Cafternoon high

8/30rainy days

21/30sunny days

Open Virginia for January on the map Find stays in Virginia

How long in the sun in January?

If you travel anyway, plan your sun session around midday (roughly 11:00 to 15:00), when the UV Index peaks at about 2.7. With about a quarter of your skin bare, a full dose takes around 20 minutes for skin type III at age 30, and about 37 minutes at age 65.
Stop well before your skin turns pink. At this UV level skin type III can start to burn after about 74 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	13 min	25 min	49 min
Type II	16 min	31 min	62 min
Type III	20 min	37 min	74 min
Type IV	30 min	56 min	1.9 h
Type V	40 min	74 min	2.5 h
Type VI	66 min	2.1 h	4.1 h

Minutes at midday for about 1,000 IU of vitamin D with a quarter of the body bare, at Williamsburg, 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 Virginia in January

Place	Rating	Sun window	Full dose	Afternoon high	Rainy days
Norfolk	Too cold	2.4 h	18 min	12°C	7/30
Virginia Beach	Too cold	2.3 h	18 min	12°C	8/30
Williamsburg	Too cold	2.3 h	20 min	11°C	8/30
Cape Charles	Too cold	2.2 h	19 min	9°C	8/30
Chincoteague	Too cold	1.9 h	21 min	9°C	9/30

Other months in Virginia

Best months: May to September. Full Virginia guide

Other sunny places in January

All best places for vitamin D in January