The short answer is, yes, you do need sunglasses on cloudy days. But why is that the case? Here we break down the reasons why you should be wearing your shades even when the sun’s away.
UV rays can pass through clouds
Did you know that the sun’s rays can slice through overcast skies, clouds and even rain? It’s true! Even on cloudy days, UV rays are as powerful as ever. Just because you may not feel the warmth of the sun doesn’t mean you’re protected beneath a cover of clouds. Clouds can sometimes reduce the amount of harmful UVA and UVB rays that reach the Earth’s surface, but clouds aren’t powerful enough to stop the rays completely.
Clouds can even increase radiation
In fact, sometimes, cloud cover can actually increase the amount of radiation that your skin gets. Sounds odd, right? According to some studies, clouds can actually increase the amount of UV ray exposure by as much as 75 percent. This is because of the enhanced reflective power of big, cumulus clouds. If a ray of UV light leaves the surface of the sun, and is reflected and bounced around a cloud, it becomes more powerful by the time it hits the surface of the earth.
That’s also why it’s important to always protect your eyes, not just when it’s hard to see because of the bright sun. Here at Real Kids Shades, we think it’s important to wear shades any day of the year, including the cold, cloudy overcast days when you think the sun might not be able to find you. So check out all of our great styles and options online now, or call us today at 800-283-1106 to learn more.