4.2 here today highest of the year so far. Could be 5 on Sunday 🔥

https://twitter.com/peacockreports/status/1245035614782750720

It will be interesting to see how much of an effect this has, if the weather is clear in the N. half of the UK Sun or Mon.

Sunday's looking rather cloudy but Monday shows some potential, sporadically:

Reading 4.6 Camborne 4.8+, Chilton 5.2.

Suspect Chilton.

Brilliant sun today and between now and Monday, from what James (SC) has said, with potential 5s anyway, there is the further potential of some exceptional high UV input, looking like the N of the UK from those charts.

Cam 5.3   R 5.2   Ch(5.6)

Belfast and Leeds topped 4.7

Gib only made 4.0 (but just fell shy of 8 on 31st March!)

Hi Bertie

I know this has been raised before but I think you are inconsistent on reading the defra uv scales,

2nd April - Meanwhile 4.4 in Chilton and 3.9 in Reading today, between the cloud patches.

I agree just below 4 at Reading but Chilton was 3.4

4th April - Cam 5.3   R 5.2   Ch(5.6)

Surely from interpretation of the 2nd April, Reading was 4.2 not 5.2 and Chilton 4.4 not 5.4?

(I maxed at 4.0 today and am about 50 miles southwest of Reading) Meteoblue forecast for today was 4.0

The scale must start at zero as that is the value before sunset and rises thereafter. Probably need to contact DEFRA to confirm!

Stay safe at home...

Hi Roger

I do think Chilton's is hard to believe- it's almost always a fair bit higher than Reading but is a tad further north. I prefer Reading's, and if you scroll back, it ties in well with your readings most of the time, but the station has been inconsistent in publishing data. Reading the scale, Reading's data seems consistent sometimes- and not at others. I think the particular way the graph is presented might be misleading- protection needed is identified at the 2/3 boundary, suggesting this is 3.0. 

That said, the tabulated data is sometimes (not always!) about a half an index point below the graph. The 4th April at Reading would then be 4.7, not 5.2, and certainly not 4.2- it is above the 4/5 boundary. That 4.7 would tie in well with max forecast UV locally; but it still doesn't explain why on numerous occasions, Reading's data, from this very graph, ties in well with other S.UK reports and forecasts.

I still agree with the position that, if there is any measurable UV, then it is within band 1. MetO always forecasts a UV 1 as soon as the sun makes it above the horizon. There is only a zero below that, and no 0.7 etc. I think the truth is, the graph axis may be not a lot of use, other than for health reasons. The safety bands are more important.

Reading 5.0

Camborne 5,7

Wow! Camborne crosses the 5/6 boundary. 

First widespread 6's of the season..

  upload jpg 

First UVI of 5 here today. We're now at that time of year when, despite it being a chilly day, you can still get badly burnt by the sun.

This is now about the time when I start to tan, but won't be doing much of that today!

Still there today pictures, but if anything, Wednesday's 6 forecast has crept further north: as far as Merthyr Tydfil.

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/forecast/map/gcp1by0nd#?map=MaxUVIndex&fcTime=1586908800&zoom=7&lon=-3.42&lat=55.52

5s forecast as far as Berwick on Tweed.

This came slightly out of nowhere apart from the far SW; must be an air quality issue. Interesting to see if it comes off as forecast.

It'll more then likely be lower levels of ozone causing it. Not unusual in spring it would seem.

Still on for a 6 tomorrow according to MetO but the Beeb has dropped that forecast.

MetO range is less- only as far as Andover (Hants) but with extent for 5s still as good.

3 stations in Cornwall forecast a 6 today.

Reading 5.3  Chilton 5.4   Camborne 5.5

So no 6s, but these figures must be right- credibly close together, and otherwise they would all 3 be anomalously low. I return to my original position wrt the graphs, but will treat inconsistencies wrt Chilton with some consideration.

Nothing on the home front to write home about, but Gib managed 9 on 11th and 9.2 yesterday.

Chilton's line is very steep today; looks like it was approaching 5 by 11am.

5.2 in Reading and 5.7 Chilton, with 6 days worth of UV6 forecast for the near south.

Reading 5.5

Chilton 5.7

Really having to take care not to get sunburn during lunch break under these very clear skies with very dry, skin-parching breezes.

I also suspect I've breathed in a whole kilo of dust and pollen in the past few weeks .

Don't be too alarmed if you get a cough James!

Meantime, 5.6 Reading and 6.0 Chilton today.

Reading 5.7   Chilton  5.8

Tomorrow we have 6 forecast as far as N Yorkshire, 5 as far N as the far NW of Scotland.

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/forecast/map/gcp1by0nd#?map=MaxUVIndex&fcTime=1587772800&zoom=9&lon=-1.84&lat=54.03

Quite a thing, I do wonder.

Chilton 5.7 but Reading 5.9 and Camborne 6.4

First 6 of the year here. Been sat out between 12:00-14:00 and got a nice early tan!

After all the high fives (& a few 6s) it's all ones and two right now!