With the Kiama LGA having one of the highest proportions of Anglo-Celtic backgrounds in the country, and this summer set to be damp and grey, the Cancer Institute NSW is warning people to maintain sun protection protocols whenever the UV rating is above 3.

The State Government’s cancer control agency is concerned that La Nina weather conditions may lead people to put themselves at risk of skin cancer.

Nikki Woolley, Manager of the Skin and Lifestyle Cancer portfolio at the Cancer Institute NSW, says it has never been more important to get the message out that UV radiation, not sunshine, is what can have potentially deadly consequences.

“The Illawarra Shoalhaven is one of NSW's melanoma hotspots, with some of the highest melanoma rates in the state,” say Ms Woolley.

“When the UV is three or above, you need to follow the five steps to protect your skin – slip on protective clothes, slap on hat, slop on some 50+ sunscreen, seek shade and slide on some sunnies.”

The La Nina conditions until the end of summer will be accompanied by the highest UV periods, which could have a significant impact on skin cancer risk.

Despite cloudy conditions in Kiama today, and for the rest of the week, the UV rating is expected to be reach 10 at 2pm. Extreme warnings begin at 11.

The World Health Organisation recommends protecting our skin from the sun when the UVI is 3 or higher.

“The lack of sunshine should not be a deterrent to applying high spectrum UVA/UVB sunscreen and protecting your eyes with UV graded sunglasses,” says Ms Wooley.

“We know that on cloudy days where you can’t see the sun’s rays or feel the heat, many people believe they are safe from the harmful effects of UV. In fact, even on gloomy days the UV can reach extreme levels.

“Our message is simple, whether the sun is out or not, protect yourself, your children and your loved ones and slip, slop slap to reduce the risk of developing skin cancer.”