Northlanders warned to be 'sun smart' this Labour weekend

Experts warn Northlanders to be sun smart this Labour weekend, as "people are often caught out at this time of year". Photo / Michael Cunningham.

Experts are warning Northlanders to be extra cautious this summer, with ultraviolet radiation levels expected to average higher than last year.

And with Labour weekend shaping up to be mostly fine in Northland, residents are being urged to get the sunscreen out, slap on a hat and cover up to avoid being damaged by New Zealand's harsh sun.

MetService meteorologist April Clark said there will be a "decent ridge of high pressure" moving into Northland this weekend.

After Saturday morning, any isolated showers will be clearing off, she said.

"It is looking like quite a sunny weekend for Northland.

"Generally, it'll be a pretty fine Labour weekend and it will be a weekend where people need to put sunblock on.

"We're in that time of year, where people forget they need to put sunblock on all the time now."

UV radiation is produced by the sun and too much exposure can cause sunburn, premature ageing, and increase the risk of skin cancer.

According to Niwa, peak clear sky UV index levels between noon and 1pm at Leigh, Auckland have been 5 per cent more on average and up to 10 per cent higher over the past month compared with the same period last year.

The higher the UV index, the stronger the sun's rays and the faster people burn.

A UV index level of 3 or more is enough to cause skin damage.

These levels are predicted to reach between 8 and 9 in the north over Labour weekend.

Northlanders are being urged to get the sunscreen out, slap on a hat and cover up to avoid being damaged by New Zealand's harsh sun. Photo / File

Niwa meteorologist Dr Richard Turner said New Zealand is likely experiencing elevated clear sky UV levels due to a slight depletion of the ozone layer over the past few months.

"Our atmosphere shields us from a lot of the sun's radiation because of the thin ozone layer in our stratosphere, which absorbs most of the UV.

"However, values taken at our atmospheric research station in Lauder show that ozone levels are at or near the lower end of what we'd expect at this time of the year."

Cancer Society of New Zealand national SunSmart adviser Hazel Potterton said New Zealand ozone is "some of the thinnest in the world".

"New Zealand often ranks highest in the world for skin cancer rates.

"Even on cloudy days, you can burn within minutes, and people are often caught out at this time of year.

"The good news is, you can help protect yourself ... by slipping on clothes to cover as much skin as possible; slipping into shade, especially during the middle of the day; slopping on sunscreen of at least SPF 30 every two hours; slapping on a wide-brimmed hat; and wrapping on sun-protective sunglasses."

Lifeguards are back on Northland's beaches from this weekend.

The patrolled beaches are Mangawhai Heads, Waipū, Ruakākā, Ocean Beach (Whangārei Heads) and Paripari Reserve, Ahipara.

Patrol days and times at the beaches vary over the summer, but people can check safeswim.org.nz for patrol times.