UV Index in Madrid
Live UV index for Madrid, Spain. Personalised SPF, reapply timing, and protection advice for your skin type. Free, no signup, updated every 30 minutes.
40.42°, -3.70° · UV data refreshes every 30 minutes
UV in Madrid: what to expect
Southern Europe at 40°N plus inland 660 m elevation; UV 10 is routine all summer.
Peak season
May – September
Average peak UV
10 (very high)
Country
Spain
Region
Europe
Sun safety for Madrid
Madrid runs in the very high UV band through May – September. Fair skin can burn in 15–25 minutes at noon. Daily SPF 50, hat, and shade between 11am and 3pm are basic protection. SPF 30 is enough only outside peak hours.
Reapply every 2 hours — every 90 minutes if outdoors continuously. Cloud cover reduces UV less than people assume; up to 80% gets through. Cumulative exposure across a summer adds up regardless of any single day's reading.
Whatever Madrid's climatology says, the live reading above is what counts on the day you check. UV varies hour by hour; the widget shows current and forecast values so you can plan around peak hours.
Why daily UV awareness matters in Madrid
UV exposure is the leading preventable cause of skin cancer. Each blistering sunburn before age 20 doubles melanoma risk in adulthood. Cumulative UV from daily, unprotected exposure causes basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, premature aging, and pigmentation disorders.
For residents of Madrid, the practical impact of knowing today's UV is choosing the right SPF strength, the right outdoor schedule, and the right protective clothing for the next few hours — not abstract long-term advice. The widget above turns this into a 5-second daily check.
Read the full UV checker guideOther cities in Europe
Related tools and guides
Sources & methodology
Live UV: Open-Meteo Air Quality API (CAMS atmospheric model + satellite + ground station inputs). City climatology values from NASA TEMIS UV climatology and CAMS reanalysis. SPF and reapply guidelines based on AAD, BAD, and WHO recommendations. Full editorial methodology →