Right now in Midland, the air is about 71°F, but the model estimates the asphalt under your dog's paws is closer to 71°F — the surface and air have nearly converged because the pavement is shedding the day's stored heat after dark. That reading puts Midland 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 23 hours left today, the pavement in Midland is projected to top out near 129°F around 2 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, Midland sees highs around 80°F and overnight lows near 56°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.
Midland loses its all-day safe window in 6 months of the year — April through September — and October is not one of them. The year peaks in August at an average high of 96°F against 58°F in January, a 39°F swing that decides how much of the day belongs to your dog.
The nearest place we track is Odessa, about 20 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 Midland'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 Midland 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.