UV index in South Carolina today
South Carolina's coastal cities draw plenty of sun, and beach reflection can push real UV exposure higher than the forecast number. Pick your city below for local hourly UV and a risk-managed tanning-time estimate.
South Carolina's UV is highest at midday and from late spring through early fall, with coastal Charleston and Myrtle Beach seeing very similar readings that often reach the EPA high (6-7) and at times very high (8+) bands. Bright water and sand reflect additional UV, so real exposure at the beach can exceed the index, and the WHO advises protecting from UV 3 and up. Use the linked city pages and their hourly UV forecasts to plan around lower-risk windows; these are estimates to manage burn risk, not a promise of a safe tan or medical advice.
UV by city in South Carolina
Source & freshness
Each city page shows live UV via TanPilot's UV proxy; the peaks above are typical clear-sky summer references for South Carolina. Estimates only — not medical advice.
Questions
Which South Carolina city has the highest UV?
Charleston and Myrtle Beach sit at nearly the same latitude on the coast, so their peak UV is very close, both commonly reaching the EPA high (6-7) band and occasionally very high (8+) on clear summer middays. The bigger driver day to day is cloud cover and beach reflection rather than which city you choose, so check each city's hourly UV. These are estimates, not medical advice.
When is UV lowest in South Carolina?
UV is lowest early morning and late afternoon, and seasonally in the winter months when the sun is lower in the sky. The EPA still notes UV 3+ can occur on bright days outside summer, and clouds, plus reflection off water and sand at the coast, can raise real exposure above the index. Use each city page's hourly UV to identify the genuinely lower-index windows.
Is it safe to tan in South Carolina at midday?
South Carolina middays (roughly 10am-4pm) often sit in the EPA high (6-7) or very high (8+) bands, so the WHO guidance to protect from UV 3+ applies and burn risk peaks then, especially with beach reflection. No tan is truly safe because tanning is UV damage; if you're outside, the FDA recommends broad-spectrum SPF 30+ reapplied every 2 hours and after swimming or sweating, plus shade and clothing. Our tanning-time figures are risk-managed estimates, not medical advice, and your Fitzpatrick skin type, medications, water and sand reflection all change real risk.