April Sunburns? Blame It on the Sneaky Sun Angle

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FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) – Have you ever been puzzled by how severe your sunburn can be even in April? It turns out that during this month, the sun’s angle is just as sharp as it typically is during August.

Delay planting until after these warmer April days pass.

Exactly, the strength of the sun isn’t dictated by the temperature, but instead by the angle at which the sun hits the Earth. A greater angle leads to more powerful sunlight.

There has definitely been an abundance of sunny days recently in this area. On Monday, the sun shone brightly over northeastern Indiana and northwestern Ohio.

The position of the sun in the sky depends on the tilt of the Earth, which causes seasonal changes. As the planet tilts at an angle of 23.5 degrees during its orbit around the sun, this leads to variations in the sun’s height above the horizon over the course of the year where we live. For instance, on April 28th in Fort Wayne, the highest point the sun reaches in the sky is 63.3 degrees. Interestingly, this peak elevation is similar to what occurs on August 13th. That explains why getting sunburned today could be just as intense as being out in the sun back in August!

Here is a table illustrating the variation in solar angles throughout the year for this region. Each entry marks the beginning of every month along with the respective peak sun angle observed during these times. It's evident that the position of the sun changes significantly across months, making seasonal transitions particularly distinct in northeastern Indiana and northwestern Ohio. We experience our most elevated sun angle approximately at the time of the summer solstice in late June when it reaches up to 72.4° in Fort Wayne. Following this point, the angle gradually diminishes down to about 25.5° around the winter solstice in late December. Afterward, the pattern repeats itself as the sun angle climbs back once more toward another summer solstice.

Therefore, apply plenty of sunblock and stay protected when planning your outside ventures. To get a comprehensive overview of the upcoming days' weather predictions, check out our website. WANE 15 Weather Page .

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