Right now in Lincoln, the air is about 77°F, but the model estimates the asphalt under your dog's paws is closer to 77°F — the surface and air have nearly converged because the pavement is shedding the day's stored heat after dark. That reading puts Lincoln 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 an hour of today are left in Lincoln, and the pavement is not expected to climb past about 77°F in that time. The surface is holding roughly flat over the next three hours, so there is no meaningfully cooler hour coming soon — choose shade and grass rather than waiting it out.
In an average October, Lincoln sees highs around 66°F and overnight lows near 46°F. That keeps most of the day walkable, though a rare clear, calm afternoon can still warm exposed pavement more than the mild air suggests. 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.
Lincoln loses its all-day safe window in 4 months of the year — June through September — and October is not one of them. The year peaks in July at an average high of 87°F against 35°F in January, a 53°F swing that decides how much of the day belongs to your dog.
The nearest place we track is Omaha, 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 Lincoln'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 Lincoln 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.