Right now in Richmond, the air is about 63°F, but the model estimates the asphalt under your dog's paws is closer to 63°F — the surface and air have nearly converged because the pavement is shedding the day's stored heat after dark. That reading puts Richmond 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 21 hours left today, the pavement in Richmond is projected to top out near 98°F around 3 PM, when the air will be about 71°F — a 26°F gap between the forecast your weather app shows and the surface your dog walks on. 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, Richmond sees highs around 71°F and overnight lows near 53°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.
Richmond loses its all-day safe window in 5 months of the year — May through September — and October is not one of them. The year peaks in July at an average high of 91°F against 49°F in January, a 43°F swing that decides how much of the day belongs to your dog.
The nearest city we track is Newport News, roughly 69 miles from Richmond — 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 Richmond 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 Richmond 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.