At a Glance

An NWS Sioux Falls experiment showed how hot pavement gets in just a few hours.It's a great reminder to walk your pets early in the morning or late in the evening on hot days.

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The office in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, did an experiment on Tuesday that serves as a great summer safety reminder for your pets.

They looked at of different types of surfaces throughout the day as temperatures crept into the 90s. At 9 a.m., temperatures were around 90 degrees on all surfaces. By noon, the blacktop reached 123, and at 3 p.m., it was a whopping 135. That’s hot enough to burn your pets' paws, which means that almost any time after 9 a.m. would be too hot to walk.

It only takes for paws to burn on pavement at 125 degrees. And on an 85 degree day, surfaces can reach that temperature by mid-morning in direct sunlight.

Dr. Jerry Klein, DVM, Chief Veterinary Officer for the AKC , “To find out if the ground is too hot for your dog to walk on, place your hand comfortably on the pavement for ten seconds. If it’s too hot for your hand, it’s too hot for your dog’s paws.”

It’s always a good idea to take your pets outside in the early morning hours when the ground is cooler or late in the evening when temperatures have a chance to cool down a bit.

Senior producer Niki Budnick writes about breaking news, pets, home and garden, wellness and more for weather.com.

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