While it’s always a good idea to slap on sunscreen to shield yourself from the harmful UV rays, the sun is getting weaker and weaker this time of year.
Believe it or not, the sun’s strength here in October is equal to the latter part of Winter! So you’ve got the same chance of getting a sunburn as when you’ll be hitting the slopes in March.
So why is it warmer now than it is in March? Simply put, we’re coming off the hottest few months of the year. And the atmosphere, lakes, and rivers have stored the energy in the form of heat. But as the nights get longer and the sun angle gets lower, we’ll move into Winter.
Today’s highest midday sun angle is only 43 degrees above the horizon.
-Meteorologist Eric Sorensen