Record-high levels of UV radiation were measured in northern areas in the spring of 2020

The total amount of ozone in the atmosphere in the Arctic region was exceptionally low in March-April 2020. The amount of UV radiation that reached the surface of the earth was occasionally twice as high as the normal amount.

The deviation of the monthly averages of total ozone in the atmosphere and UV radiation from the normal levels. In the red areas the UV radiation and amounts of ozone were higher than usual, and lower than usual in the blue areas. Image: Iolanda Ialongo, Finnish Meteorological Institute.

Owing to ozone depletion, exceptionally low levels of total ozone were measured in the north of Finland, which affected the amount of UV radiation.

The UV index measured in Sodankylä on 6 April 2020 was at a record-high level for that time of year, when the minimum recommended level for protection, UV index level 3, was exceeded.

Although a new record was set for UV radiation for that time of the year, it was lower than what is measured in Finland in the summer.

More information:

UV radiation: Researcher Kaisa Lakkala, tel. +358 407476792, kaisa.lakkala@fmi.fi

Satellite observations: Researcher Iolanda Ialongo, +358 44112140, iolanda.ialongo@fmi.fi

Bernhard, G. H., Fioletov, V. E., Grooß, J.‐U., Ialongo, I., Johnsen, B., Lakkala, K., et al. (2020). Record‐breaking increases in Arctic solar ultraviolet radiation caused by exceptionally large ozone depletion in 2020. Geophysical Research Letters, 47, e2020GL090844. https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GL090844

Bernhard G., Fioletov V., Grooss J.-U., Ialongo I, Johnsen B, Lakkala K, Manney G., Müller R., Ozone and UV radiation [in State of the Climate in 2019], Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 101 (8), S274-S277, 2020, https://doi.org/10.1175/2020BAMSStateoftheClimate.1

Science newsUV radiationOzoneOzone depletion