Right now in Baltimore, the air is about 71°F, but the model estimates the asphalt under your dog's paws is closer to 83°F — a gap of roughly 12°F, because a mix of sun and cloud is still loading heat into the asphalt. That reading puts Baltimore 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 Baltimore is projected to top out near 83°F around 5 PM, when the air will be about 71°F — a 12°F gap between the forecast your weather app shows and the surface your dog walks on. The surface is already coming down, about 16°F over the next three hours, so waiting a little works in your favour here.
In an average October, Baltimore sees highs around 68°F and overnight lows near 52°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.
Baltimore loses its all-day safe window in 3 months of the year — June through August — and October is not one of them. The year peaks in July at an average high of 88°F against 44°F in January, a 44°F swing that decides how much of the day belongs to your dog.
The nearest place we track is Washington, about 36 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 Baltimore'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 Baltimore 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.