What temperature can i tan outdoors in May?

[Marley424]

I live in Chicago.. I'm trying to get really tan for my graduation and i don't wanna go to a tanning bed. So i was wondering if I can get tan in May. But like i know i can its just that what temperature does it have to be to get tan and stuff in May. Please give me your ideas and help. I don't burn easily and I'm white obviously.

 

[normanforlife]

It is a common misconception that it has to be hot in order to tan. Your skin tans by UV rays from the sun, not by the ambient temperature around you. If you were inside of a glass room that was kept at freezing temperatures, you would tan just like you would if you were outdoors.

The best time to tan is around noon (or 1 pm, if you are observing DST...which currently applies to Chicago). This is when the sun is highest in the sky during the day. Tanning in the summer is easy not because it's hot, but because the noontime sun is high in the sky, and the sun's rays are hitting you more directly. The steep sun angle is what causes the temperatures to be hot in the summer, as well. In the winter, the noontime sun is low in the sky, and the sun's rays are spread out and scattered. This causes temperatures to be cold during the winter.