Weather Tidbits: Hot Pavement Temperatures

We’ll be discussing the difference in surface temperature between grass and pavement. Compared to pavement, grass absorbs heat slower. Therefore, the surface remains cooler. It may be warm, but not too hot. Since pavement absorbs more heat at a quicker rate, the surface temperature will rise rapidly. This can be dangerous for pets and bare feet. To describe the difference further, let’s take a 95 degree day as an example. Here, the shaded grass will be 90 degrees, the sunlit grass will be 105 degrees, the concrete will be 125 degrees, and the asphalt will be a sizzling 140 degrees. Paw burn can occur in 5 minutes at 120 degrees and in 1 minute at 140 degrees. Very important to consider when taking your dog for a walk on a hot day! the best time to walk you dog is in the morning and the evening.