NEW YORK and STATE COLLEGE, PA (February 25, 2026) — The Skin Cancer Foundation and AccuWeather today announced a new partnership to improve public understanding of ultraviolet (UV) radiation, the leading cause of skin cancer. By combining AccuWeather’s proven Superior Accuracy™ with The Skin Cancer Foundation’s evidence-based guidance on UV safety, the partners aim to “take back the UV index” and ensure that people have access to clear, consistent, science-driven information daily. As part of this initiative, The Skin Cancer Foundation will feature the AccuWeather Daily Max UV Index on relevant pages of its website. The collaboration comes at a time of rising misinformation about UV exposure and mixed public understanding of how the UV Index works.
“Skin cancer prevention starts with awareness,” says Deborah S. Sarnoff, MD, president of The Skin Cancer Foundation. “The UV Index is a simple and powerful tool that the public can use to understand this invisible threat that is the cause of 90 percent of skin cancers. Partnering with AccuWeather on this initiative ensures that this lifesaving information reaches people where they go every day to prepare themselves for their time outdoors. We want to remind the public to take that extra step of protecting themselves from these UV rays, so that they can dramatically lower their risk for developing skin cancer.”
In addition to leveraging its media platform that reaches billions to promote UV education and skin cancer awareness, AccuWeather’s Daily Max UV Index provides easy-to-read risk categories and localized hourly UV forecasts.
“AccuWeather provides hour-by-hour UV index forecasts with the greatest accuracy and detail available from any source. These highly localized UV indices and forecasts provide enhanced protection from excessive UV exposure by allowing users to track their UV exposure hour-by-hour, down to the tenths of a unit,” says Joel N. Myers, PhD, AccuWeather Founder and Executive Chair. “This contributes to a healthier, more informed, and more comfortable lifestyle. Through our partnership with The Skin Cancer Foundation, our goal is to significantly reduce cases of melanoma and skin cancer fatalities in the United States and around the world.”
While UV education and awareness are important, The Skin Cancer Foundation would like to remind the public that sun protection is necessary regardless of the daily UV index rating and recommends that people heed the following recommendations to protect themselves against sun exposure at all times:
- Clothing is a strong line of defense. Wear clothing with a minimum UPF factor of 50, a wide-brimmed hat and UV-blocking sunglasses.
- Apply sunscreen to all exposed skin, even on days when the UV index is low. Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 30 for daily use and an SPF 50 or higher when engaging in outdoor activities. Reapply at least every two hours or after sweating.
- Seek the shade during peak hours (10 AM to 4 PM) or when the UV index is high.
Skin cancer is currently the most common cancer in the United States, with more than 5 million cases diagnosed each year. UV exposure is the leading preventable cause for these cancers. Both organizations emphasize that strengthening public knowledge is critical to reducing these numbers, and empowering people with real-time, trustworthy UV information is a key step forward. This partnership marks a significant expansion of The Skin Cancer Foundation’s mission to promote sun safety and AccuWeather’s commitment to helping people make the best weather impacted decisions. For more information, visit SkinCancer.org and AccuWeather.com.
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About The Skin Cancer Foundation
The Skin Cancer Foundation (SCF), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, saves and improves lives by empowering people to take a proactive approach to daily sun protection and the early detection and treatment of skin cancer. The Foundation delivers public education programs, provides patients with guidance and reassurance, engages medical professionals, awards research grants and leads advocacy campaigns that call for policy changes. As a service to consumers, SCF grants its industry-recognized Seal of Recommendation to products that meet its criteria for safe and effective sun protection. SCF also operates Destination Healthy Skin, a program that works with local dermatologists in communities around the U.S. to provide free skin cancer screenings to those in need. Since its inception in 1979, the Foundation has recommended regular skin exams and following a complete sun protection strategy that includes seeking shade, using sunscreen daily and covering up with clothing, hats and sunglasses. SkinCancer.org.
About AccuWeather, Inc. and AccuWeather.com
AccuWeather, recognized and documented as the most accurate and most used source of weather forecasts and warnings in the world, has saved over 12,000 lives, prevented injury to over 100,000 people, and saved companies tens of billions of dollars through better planning and decision-making.
A billion people around the world rely on AccuWeather’s proven Superior Accuracy™ across our consumer digital platforms. AccuWeather.com is the #1 weather destination and one of the top 100 most-visited websites in the world, and our award-winning AccuWeather app delivers detailed real-time forecasts to millions of smartphones.
AccuWeather forecasts also appear on digital signage, in 700 newspapers, are heard on over 400 radio stations, and viewed on 100 television stations. The AccuWeather Network and AccuWeather NOW® reach an audience of over 125 million on cable and streaming platforms.
AccuWeather For Business serves more than half of the Fortune 500 companies and thousands of other businesses and government agencies globally who pay for the most accurate weather forecasts than from any other source.
Visit AccuWeather.com for the most accurate hyperlocal forecasts, weather news, and information, and download the free AccuWeather app for Android or iOS.
Contact:
Abby Ludowise
Senior Director of Marketing Communications
212.725.5408
Tyler Knowlton
Director of Communications
AccuWeather