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Protect your pets: Pavement, sidewalk could get dangerously hot during heatwave

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Updated  September 6, 2023 8:45am EDT
News
FOX 29 Philadelphia

Protect your pets: Pavement, sidewalk could get dangerously hot during heatwave

Here's a rule of thumb: If you put your hand down on pavement and take it off within 5 seconds because your hand gets too hot, then it's also too hot for pet paws.

PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia set a record high on Monday as temperatures hit a scorching 96 degrees, and the heatwave isn't overt yet.

The Delaware Valley will continue to set records in the mid 90s through Wednesday. 

On hot days like these, there is a big difference between the air temperature and the ground temperature.

FOX 29's Weather Authority took a temperature gun out on a day in the 90s to see just how much warmer the pavement gets.

While the grass temperature is very similar to the air temperature, a white sidewalk was 20 degrees hotter.

Black pavement was even more astounding, coming in over 40 degrees warmer than the actual temperature.

Keep that in mind if you have any pets and normally go on dog walks through your neighborhood.

Here's a rule of thumb: If you put your hand down on pavement and take it off within 5 seconds because your hand gets too hot, then it's also too hot for pet paws.