Right now in Columbus, the air is about 81°F, but the model estimates the asphalt under your dog's paws is closer to 83°F — a gap of roughly 2°F, because the pavement is shedding the day's stored heat after dark. That reading puts Columbus 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.
Only 2 hours of today are left in Columbus, and the pavement is not expected to climb past about 83°F in that time. The surface is already coming down, about 6°F over the next three hours, so waiting a little works in your favour here.
In an average August, Columbus sees highs around 92°F and overnight lows near 73°F. At highs like that, sun-baked pavement can easily top 120–130°F by early afternoon, so the walkable hours cluster around dawn and after sunset. As a seasonal rule of thumb, the safest windows are before about 10:00 AM and after about 5:00 PM.
Columbus loses its all-day safe window in 6 months of the year — April through September — and August is one of them. The year peaks in August at an average high of 92°F against 58°F in January, a 34°F swing that decides how much of the day belongs to your dog.
The nearest city we track is Montgomery, roughly 77 miles from Columbus — far enough that its reading is no substitute for this one. Sun angle, humidity and cloud cover can all differ across that distance, which is why this page models Columbus on its own coordinates.
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 Columbus 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.