Right now in Lexington, the air is about 61°F, but the model estimates the asphalt under your dog's paws is closer to 61°F — the surface and air have nearly converged because the pavement is shedding the day's stored heat after dark. That reading puts Lexington 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 Lexington, and the pavement is not expected to climb past about 61°F in that time. The surface is already coming down, about 3°F over the next three hours, so waiting a little works in your favour here.
In an average October, Lexington sees highs around 69°F and overnight lows near 50°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.
Lexington 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 July at an average high of 86°F against 43°F in January, a 43°F swing that decides how much of the day belongs to your dog.
Lexington sits about 4 miles from Lexington-Fayette, close enough that the two usually run within a degree or two of each other — if your walk crosses between them, either page answers the question. Street-level conditions still differ more than city-level ones do: a shaded side street and an open parking lot half a block apart can be twenty degrees apart underfoot.
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 Lexington 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.