Vitamin D in Virginia in May: sun, UV and what to expect
Excellent Excellent. The sun is strong for most of the day in Virginia in May, so a full vitamin D dose takes only about 8 minutes at midday, and the usable window lasts 7.4 hours a day.
7.4 hsun window (UV 2.5+)
6.9peak UV Index
8 minto a full dose
26°Cafternoon high
8/30rainy days
25/30sunny days
Best places in Virginia in May: Cape Charles (excellent), Virginia Beach (excellent), Norfolk (excellent), Williamsburg (excellent).
How long in the sun in May?
- Plan your sun session around midday (roughly 11:00 to 15:00), when the UV Index peaks at about 6.9. With about a quarter of your skin bare, a full dose takes around 8 minutes for skin type III at age 30, and about 14 minutes at age 65.
- Stop well before your skin turns pink. At this UV level skin type III can start to burn after about 29 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 | 5 min | 10 min | 19 min |
| Type II | 6 min | 12 min | 24 min |
| Type III | 8 min | 14 min | 29 min |
| Type IV | 12 min | 22 min | 43 min |
| Type V | 15 min | 29 min | 58 min |
| Type VI | 26 min | 48 min | 97 min |
Minutes at midday for about 1,000 IU of vitamin D with a quarter of the body bare, at Norfolk, 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 May
| Place | Rating | Sun window | Full dose | Afternoon high | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Charles | Excellent | 8.1 h | 7 min | 23°C | 6/30 |
| Virginia Beach | Excellent | 7.8 h | 8 min | 23°C | 6/30 |
| Norfolk | Excellent | 7.4 h | 8 min | 26°C | 8/30 |
| Williamsburg | Excellent | 7.5 h | 8 min | 25°C | 8/30 |
| Chincoteague | Too cold | 7.8 h | 8 min | 22°C | 7/30 |
Other months in Virginia
- Jan Too cold
- Feb Too cold
- Mar Too cold
- Apr Too cold
- May Excellent
- Jun Excellent
- Jul Excellent
- Aug Excellent
- Sep Good
- Oct Too cold
- Nov Too cold
- Dec Too cold
Best months: May to September. Full Virginia guide