Right now in Odessa, the air is about 86°F, but the model estimates the asphalt under your dog's paws is closer to 93°F — a gap of roughly 7°F, because clear skies are pouring full sun onto every dark surface. That reading puts Odessa 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 5 hours left today, the pavement in Odessa is projected to top out near 93°F around 7 PM, when the air will be about 86°F — a 6°F gap between the forecast your weather app shows and the surface your dog walks on. The surface is already coming down, about 15°F over the next three hours, so waiting a little works in your favour here.
In an average October, Odessa sees highs around 80°F and overnight lows near 56°F. Even at those moderate highs, a dark surface in direct sun can run 40–60°F hotter than the air, which is enough to tip midday walks into the caution range. As a seasonal rule of thumb, the safest windows are before about 1:00 PM and after about 2:00 PM.
Odessa 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 58°F in January, a 38°F swing that decides how much of the day belongs to your dog.
The nearest place we track is Midland, 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 Odessa'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 Odessa 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.