Right now in El Paso, the air is about 72°F, but the model estimates the asphalt under your dog's paws is closer to 85°F — a gap of roughly 13°F, because clear skies are pouring full sun onto every dark surface. That reading puts El Paso 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 15 hours left today, the pavement in El Paso is projected to top out near 129°F around 1 PM, when the air will be about 86°F — a 43°F gap between the forecast your weather app shows and the surface your dog walks on. Today breaks into 2 separate safe stretches rather than one continuous window, so missing the first does not cost you the day.
In an average October, El Paso sees highs around 79°F and overnight lows near 54°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 1:00 PM and after about 2:00 PM.
El Paso loses its all-day safe window in 7 months of the year — April through October — and October is one of them. The year peaks in July at an average high of 96°F against 57°F in January, a 40°F swing that decides how much of the day belongs to your dog.
The nearest city we track is Albuquerque, roughly 230 miles from El Paso — 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 El Paso 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 El Paso 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.