Right now in Oxnard, the air is about 81°F, but the model estimates the asphalt under your dog's paws is closer to 131°F — a gap of roughly 50°F, because clear skies are pouring full sun onto every dark surface. That reading puts Oxnard in the danger range, where pavement can scald paw pads in under a minute. Air temperature alone would have told you none of this — the pavement, not the forecast, is what your dog actually stands on.
Across the 11 hours left today, the pavement in Oxnard is projected to top out near 131°F around 1 PM, when the air will be about 81°F — a 50°F gap between the forecast your weather app shows and the surface your dog walks on. The surface is already coming down, about 18°F over the next three hours, so waiting a little works in your favour here.
In an average August, Oxnard sees highs around 74°F and overnight lows near 60°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. As a seasonal rule of thumb, the safest windows are before about 11:00 AM and after about 4:00 PM.
Oxnard loses its all-day safe window in 4 months of the year — June through September — and August is one of them. The year peaks in September at an average high of 74°F against 62°F in March, a 13°F swing that decides how much of the day belongs to your dog.
The nearest place we track is Thousand Oaks, about 19 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 Oxnard'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. On a day reading this warm in Oxnard, flat-faced breeds like pugs and bulldogs, plus seniors and young puppies with thinner pads, should sit out the heat entirely — subtract about 10°F from any safe threshold for them. If you must cross hot ground, protective booties or a quick coat of paw wax are the only real barrier between paw pads and the asphalt.