Costa Rica · 9.93, -84.08
Today's peak is high. Unprotected skin burns in about 23 min at the worst hour: stay in the shade around midday.
About the UV index in San José
San José sits at 9.9° N, in the northern hemisphere. Today's UV peaks at 7.1: the "high" band, which uvlevel.net treats as danger for unprotected skin at the worst hour.
San José sits close to the equator, so the sun stays high for most of the year: UV barely dips at any point, and there's no sharply defined "season" the way there is further from the equator.
Altitude here
San José sits about 1161 m above sea level. Thinner air scatters and absorbs less UV on the way down, so uvlevel.net adds roughly 9% to the modelled index here: uv = max(weather, CAMS) × (1 + 0.08 × metres/1000). That correction is already folded into every number on this page.
Hour by hour today
| Local time | UV index | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| 00:00 | 0 | No danger |
| 01:00 | 0 | No danger |
| 02:00 | 0 | No danger |
| 03:00 | 0 | No danger |
| 04:00 | 0 | No danger |
| 05:00 | 0 | No danger |
| 06:00 | 0.1 | No danger |
| 07:00 | 1.1 | No danger |
| 08:00 | 3.2 | Caution |
| 09:00 | 5.3 | Caution |
| 10:00 | 7.1 | Danger |
| 11:00 | 6.8 | Danger |
| 12:00 | 6.5 | Danger |
| 13:00 | 5.3 | Caution |
| 14:00 | 2.3 | No danger |
| 15:00 | 2.6 | No danger |
| 16:00 | 1.2 | No danger |
| 17:00 | 0.2 | No danger |
| 18:00 | 0.1 | No danger |
| 19:00 | 0 | No danger |
| 20:00 | 0 | No danger |
| 21:00 | 0 | No danger |
| 22:00 | 0 | No danger |
| 23:00 | 0 | No danger |
| Skin type | Time to burn |
|---|---|
| I · always burns, never tans | 19 min |
| II · burns easily | 23 min |
| III · burns sometimes | 33 min |
| IV · rarely burns | 42 min |
| V · brown skin | 56 min |
| VI · deeply pigmented | 1 h 34 min |
Next 7 days · daily peak
Frequently asked
Is the UV index dangerous in San José today?
Yes. UV in San José is forecast to reach 3 or higher from 07:53 to 13:46 local time today, peaking at 7.1.
What time is UV highest in San José?
UV is highest in San José at around 10:00 local time today, reaching 7.1.
How long can unprotected skin stay out in San José today?
At today's peak of 7.1, fair skin (Fitzpatrick type II) with no sunscreen burns in about 23 min. Darker skin types take longer. See the table above for every type.
Does the UV index in San José change with the seasons?
San José sits close to the equator, so the sun stays high for most of the year: UV barely dips at any point, and there's no sharply defined "season" the way there is further from the equator.
Nearby cities
Forecasts and elevation from Open-Meteo. The second UV opinion contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) information; neither the European Commission nor ECMWF is responsible for how it is used here.
uvlevel.net gives general sun-safety guidance, not medical advice. Photosensitising medication, skin conditions, infants and a history of skin cancer all call for stricter limits than shown here.