<p>The calculation of UV indices requires some effort.</p>

<p>Because different wavelengths of UV radiation have different effects on skin, to calculate the UV index you need to apply "McKinlay-Diffey" weighting factors to various wavelength components of UV radiation and then integrate (sum) those results and then divide by 25.</p>

<p>The procedure does not use ozone readings but it does use elevation and cloud cover.</p>

<p>The following two references list the procedure required:</p>

<ul>
<li><a href="http://serc.si.edu/labs/photobiology/UVIndex_calculation.aspx" rel="nofollow">Smithsonian Environmental Research Center</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.epa.gov/sunsafety/calculating-uv-index-0" rel="nofollow">US EPA</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/grad/neubrew/docs/UVindex.pdf" rel="nofollow">NOAA-EPA Brewer Network</a></li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-12-30T01:15:12.437Z
2015-12-30T04:09:09.550Z
2015-12-30T04:09:09.550Z
Fred
<p>I have three parameters for a particular location, namely: </p>

<ol>
<li>Ozone:- A numerical value representing the columnar density of total atmospheric ozone at the given time in Dobson units</li>
<li>Elevation: The elevation of the location in meters.</li>
<li>Cloud Cover: A numerical value between 0 and 1 (inclusive) representing the percentage of sky occluded by clouds.</li>
</ol>

<p>Is it possible to calculate the UV index of that location using this information? </p>

<meteorology><climate><clouds><ozone>
How is a UV Index calculated?
Rahul
# How is a UV Index calculated?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-12-29)

I have three parameters for a particular location, namely:

1. Ozone:- A numerical value representing the columnar density of total atmospheric ozone at the given time in Dobson units
2. Elevation: The elevation of the location in meters.
3. Cloud Cover: A numerical value between 0 and 1 (inclusive) representing the percentage of sky occluded by clouds.

Is it possible to calculate the UV index of that location using this information?

**Tags:** meteorology, climate, clouds, ozone


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2015-12-30. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

The calculation of UV indices requires some effort.

Because different wavelengths of UV radiation have different effects on skin, to calculate the UV index you need to apply "McKinlay-Diffey" weighting factors to various wavelength components of UV radiation and then integrate (sum) those results and then divide by 25.

The procedure does not use ozone readings but it does use elevation and cloud cover.

The following two references list the procedure required:

* [Smithsonian Environmental Research Center](http://serc.si.edu/labs/photobiology/UVIndex_calculation.aspx)
* [US EPA](http://www.epa.gov/sunsafety/calculating-uv-index-0)
* [NOAA-EPA Brewer Network](http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/grad/neubrew/docs/UVindex.pdf)


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