Does UV radiation pass through clouds?

Yes. UV radiation passes through clouds, just a little bit of it, since it comes from the Sun. That's what causes our skin to tan, is the UV radiation from the Sun's rays. read more

Yes. UV radiation passes through clouds, just a little bit of it, since it comes from the Sun. That’s what causes our skin to tan, is the UV radiation from the Sun’s rays. read more

In general, clouds block UVB, but not UVA radiation. Dense clouds or fog can block most of the UVB in most instances. Of course, time of day, latitude, and altitude all have an effect on how much UVB gets through. read more

The first is UV rays bouncing off, and being reflected off the sides of dense clouds, and the second is UV rays being redirected as they pass through very fine wisp-like clouds. An American Scientist article suggested last year that a combination of these thin refracting clouds high up and thick reflecting clouds down low could result in a significant UV boost at the surface level. read more

Scientists don’t have a solid answer, but there seems to be two main causes. The first is UV rays bouncing off, and being reflected off the sides of dense clouds, and the second is UV rays being redirected as they pass through very fine wisp-like clouds. read more