UV index in Chicago today
On a clear day Chicago peaks near 1pm at about 9 — the very high band — then eases toward sunset. The dial shows the live reading; morning and late-afternoon windows stay gentler for a careful tan.
UV index in Chicago today
The dial above shows Chicago's live UV (41.88°N, 87.63°W) via TanPilot's UV proxy. On a typical clear day the index builds through the morning and peaks near 1pm at about 9 — the very high band — before easing off toward sunset at 20:28. Use the current value, not the temperature, to decide whether it is a tan window or a cover-up hour. Lakefront breezes feel cool while the index sits very high — temperature is a poor proxy for UV here.
See also: Best time to tan in Chicago.
7-day UV outlook
Typical clear-sky pattern — the app refreshes this from your live forecast.
UV in nearby cities
Source & freshness
Live UV via TanPilot's UV proxy, refreshed regularly; the timeline and hourly curve start from typical clear-sky values for Chicago and update with the live reading. Estimates only — not medical advice.
Questions
Is it safe to tan in Chicago at midday?
Around midday Chicago typically reaches UV 9 (very high), strong enough to burn unprotected skin quickly. It is better used as shade-first time. For a gentler session, aim for the lower-UV windows around 9:00–10:30 or 17:00–18:45, and use broad-spectrum SPF. These are estimates, not medical advice.
When is UV lowest in Chicago?
UV is lowest near sunrise (5:18) and sunset (20:28) and climbs to its peak around 1pm. The morning and late-afternoon tan windows — about 9:00–10:30 and 17:00–18:45 — are the lower-UV parts of daylight that are still warm enough to be useful for a careful tan.