SESKStuff Everyone Should Know
SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/ski-eyes-cloudy-days

Do you need goggles or sunglasses on a cloudy day in the mountains?

Yes, UV light still comes through clouds.

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  1. Yes, UV still comes through the clouds ✔
  2. No, clouds block all UV
  3. Only if the temperature is above freezing

Why: Clouds do not block all UV. Snow reflects UV light back up at your eyes. Eye protection matters on gray days too.

Huh, didn't know that: While snow blindness heals, a cold compress and a darker room help the eyes feel better.

The dad joke
Why was the weather so unpredictable? Because it had cloudy judgment.
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References

Answer: Yes, UV still comes through the clouds. Clouds do not block all UV. Snow reflects UV light back up at your eyes. Eye protection matters on gray days too.

  1. CU Anschutz Ophthalmology: Winter Weather Brings Risks of Snow Blindness news.cuanschutz.edu/ophthalmology/snow-blindness-risk
    even on cloudy days in the mountains, because there's still a fair amount of UV light that comes through the clouds
    Checked 2026-10-10.
  2. CU Anschutz: Snow blindness risk news.cuanschutz.edu/ophthalmology/snow-blindness-risk
    It can also happen when sun reflects off of water or sand
    Checked 2026-10-10.

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