NANAIMO — Don’t be alarmed if you spot a bright, fiery orb in the sky this week.
After April showers brought more May showers, which were followed by classic Island ‘June-uary’, forecasters are finally calling for an extended stretch of warm, dry weather for Nanaimo and surrounding areas.
Meterologists suggest for nothing but sunshine beginning Wednesday, July 20 through to at least the weekend with temperatures climbing to around 30 degrees come Sunday, July 24, bringing with it a very high reading on the UV index.
“The UV index can get as high as eight to 10 in our area in the summer, that means a very high risk of harm,” Dr. Harvey Lui, a dermatologist, said. “The key thing to be aware of with the UV index is when you’ve got that warning of the intensity of the sun being that high, you have to take extra precautions.”
Even without full sun cover, Environment Canada’s forecast for Nanaimo suggests the UV index will be a seven or eight through Monday, July 18 and Tuesday, July 19.
Lui said sun damage through UV exposure accounts for around 90 per cent of skin cancers
He recommends regular monitoring of spots on your skin which aren’t healing within a normal time.
“If you’ve got a sore that’s lasting more than four weeks, go get it checked out. If you have a sore or spot on your skin that looks very different from the rest, many people have lots of moles, but if you have one spot which really stands out from the rest, get that checked out.”
Times when sun exposure is unavoidable, dermatologists recommend the classic slip-slop-slap, slipping on a shirt, slopping on some sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 and slapping on a hat.
Covering up where possible, through clothes or picking a shady spot, can go a lot way to saving from skin damage.
“We prefer people to cover up not because we’re prudes or we have concerns about the sociability of being outdoors without your clothes on, but it’s because we really want to protect your skin,” Lui said.
— with files from Jon de Roo, 97.3 The Eagle
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