Right now in Birmingham, the air is about 84°F, but the model estimates the asphalt under your dog's paws is closer to 101°F — a gap of roughly 17°F, because clear skies are pouring full sun onto every dark surface. That reading puts Birmingham in the clear for an ordinary walk. Air temperature alone would have told you none of this — the pavement, not the forecast, is what your dog actually stands on.
Across the 7 hours left today, the pavement in Birmingham is projected to top out near 101°F around 5 PM, when the air will be about 84°F — a 17°F gap between the forecast your weather app shows and the surface your dog walks on. The surface is already coming down, about 24°F over the next three hours, so waiting a little works in your favour here.
In an average October, Birmingham sees highs around 75°F and overnight lows near 56°F. Those are forgiving numbers, but don't let them lull you — a sunny, still afternoon can still heat dark asphalt far above the air, especially for low-riding or short-coated dogs. For this month the normals suggest pavement rarely reaches unsafe temperatures here, but the seven-second hand test is still the final word on any given day.
Birmingham loses its all-day safe window in 5 months of the year — May through September — and October is not one of them. The year peaks in August at an average high of 89°F against 54°F in January, a 35°F swing that decides how much of the day belongs to your dog.
The nearest place we track is Tuscaloosa, about 49 miles away. That is close enough to move together in a heat wave but far enough that a passing cloud bank or a coastal breeze can put real distance between the two readings, so check Birmingham's own page rather than assuming.
Whatever the number says, confirm it with your hand: press the back of it flat on the pavement for seven seconds. If you can't hold it there, neither can your dog. Conditions in Birmingham are on the gentler side right now, but keep the same habits: water before and after, grass over asphalt, and a close eye on flat-faced breeds, seniors, and puppies, who overheat and burn sooner than a healthy adult dog.