Explainer · Updated October 2026
How Hot Is Too Hot to Walk a Dog in India? Pavement Temperatures, City Heat Normals and the Science
There is no single safe number, but the evidence points low. Recorded dog deaths from all causes in one Australian state rose with every 1 C above a 25 C daily maximum. In a 2026 walking study, dogs strained once sun and air pushed a black globe thermometer above 35 C. Asphalt had a median of 59.5 C at noon in a Phoenix August, and sunlit asphalt hit 74.4 C on a 48.9 C day in Las Vegas. Meanwhile 13 of 17 Indian cities we checked have a normal May maximum of 35 C or more.
Key findings
- Sunlit asphalt reached 74.4 C (166 F) in a Las Vegas study when the air was 48.9 C (120 F), and porous rock 76.7 C.
- Skin contact burns took 6 hours at 44 C, 15 minutes at 50 C, 5 seconds at 60 C and 2 seconds at 65 C in classic burn studies.
- Phoenix asphalt had a median of 59.5 C at noon and 52.0 C at 6 pm in August 2018.
- 13 of 17 Indian cities checked have a normal May maximum of 35 C or more, and 5 reach 40 C, per IMD 1991 to 2020 normals.
- Recorded dog deaths from all causes in New South Wales rose 0.6% for each 1 C of daily maximum above 25 C, over 20 years.
- Dogs walked when a black globe thermometer read above 35 C panted at up to about 374 breaths a minute, against about 47 below 30 C.
- Working dogs walked for 21 minutes at 25 C to 29 C went from 39.0 C to 40.1 C body temperature on average.
- Nagpur's normal May maximum is 43.1 C, the highest of the 17 cities, against 33.1 C in Bengaluru.
- West Rajasthan logged 33 heatwave days in 2025 and the Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi sub-division 11, per IMD.
- Delhi had heat wave conditions on 6 days in May 2026, though its mean maximum, 39.5 C, was 0.4 C below normal.
How hot is too hot for a dog to walk on pavement?
Pavement in full sun runs far hotter than the air. A 2020 Las Vegas study took 75,000 readings from March to August. At 2.10 pm on 6 August, with the air at 48.9 C (120 F), sunlit asphalt hit 74.4 C (166 F) and porous rock 76.7 C (170 F).
Shade made a big difference. Sunlit materials ran 20 C to 31 C (36 F to 56 F) hotter than the same materials in shade. Peaks came between 2 pm and 4 pm.
Phoenix gives a view closer to a normal Indian summer afternoon. In August 2018, asphalt had a median of 59.5 C at noon and 52.0 C at 6 pm. Other pavement had medians of 53.3 C and 43.1 C.
Source: Chestovich et al. (2023), J Burn Care Res: Las Vegas, 6 August 2020, 2.10 pm, air 48.9 C, solar radiation 940 W/m2. Converted from Fahrenheit by dogeats.in.
Show the numbers
| Label | C |
|---|---|
| Porous rock | 76.7 C (170 F) |
| Asphalt | 74.4 C (166 F) |
| Brick | 66.7 C (152 F) |
| Concrete | 62.2 C (144 F) |
| Galvanised metal | 62.2 C (144 F) |
| Sand | 61.7 C (143 F) |
| Air temperature at the time | 48.9 C (120 F) |
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Source: Kowal-Vern et al. (2019), Burns and Trauma, Table 1. Medians of August 2018 readings.
Show the numbers
| Label | C |
|---|---|
| Asphalt, noon | 59.5 C |
| Asphalt, 6 pm | 52.0 C |
| Pavement, noon | 53.3 C |
| Pavement, 6 pm | 43.1 C |
| Rock, noon | 52.7 C |
| Rock, 6 pm | 37.6 C |
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| Study | Place | Finding |
|---|---|---|
| Chestovich et al. 2023 | Las Vegas, March to August 2020 | Asphalt 74.4 C at 48.9 C air; sun 20 C to 31 C hotter than shade; peaks 2 pm to 4 pm |
| Kowal-Vern et al. 2019 | Phoenix, August 2018 | Asphalt median 59.5 C at noon and 52.0 C at 6 pm |
| Harrington et al. 1995 | Phoenix, one summer day | Asphalt hot enough to burn from 9 am to 7 pm; a second-degree burn in 35 seconds from 10 am to 5 pm |
| Harrington et al. 1995 (as summarised in 2019) | Phoenix | Air of 35 C to 37.8 C needed for surfaces to reach 44 C; asphalt and sand peaked near 68 C; shade cut asphalt to 43 C |
| Kumar et al. 2023 | India (IIT-ISM Dhanbad and NIT Durgapur team) | Asphalt road the hottest surface at 45 C, warming 5.26 C an hour by day |
| Clifton et al. 2016 | Adelaide | All unshaded surfaces reached burn-capable temperatures, even on overcast days; shade gave full protection |
Indian measurements are scarce. In a 2023 study by IIT (ISM) Dhanbad and NIT Durgapur researchers, the asphalt road was the hottest surface at 45 C. It heated by 5.26 C an hour during the day. Tree shade cut the gap between surface and air temperature from 7.3 C to 3.2 C.
At what temperature can a dog's paws burn?
No study has set burn thresholds for dog paw pads, as far as we could find. The standard reference comes from human skin. Moritz and Henriques found in 1947 that second-degree burns took 6 hours at 44 C and 15 minutes at 50 C.
At 60 C the time fell to 5 seconds, and at 65 C to 2 seconds. Phoenix asphalt passed 60 C at noon on some August days, with a high of 68.7 C.
Paw pads are thicker than human skin, so these times are a guide, not a limit. A dog also stands on hot ground far longer than a few seconds during a walk.
Source: Moritz and Henriques (1947), as cited by Kowal-Vern et al. (2019), Burns and Trauma. Human skin; no equivalent study exists for dog paw pads that we could find.
Show the numbers
| Label | C |
|---|---|
| 6 hours | 44 C |
| 15 minutes | 50 C |
| 5 seconds | 60 C |
| 2 seconds | 65 C |
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A 2026 Brazilian study measured paw pads directly. Paw pad temperature tracked ground temperature closely, with a correlation of 0.91. It rose through the walk only when the black globe reading passed 30 C.
What air temperature is too hot for dogs?
The risk starts lower than most owners think. Twenty years of New South Wales vet records showed dog deaths from all causes rising 0.6% for each 1 C of daily maximum above 25 C. On extreme days above 32 C, the risk of death was 9.5% higher.
Sun matters as much as air temperature. A 2026 study walked 5 dogs 135 times in tropical Brazil. When a black globe thermometer read above 35 C, coat temperature rose 20.5 C and skin 7.2 C more than on walks below 30 C.
Breathing rose from about 47 to 374 breaths a minute, and dogs drank 215 ml more water. The authors advise caution above their thermal stress index of 170, where panting appears to lose its effect.
| Study | Dogs and conditions | Finding |
|---|---|---|
| do Nascimento et al. 2026, Brazil | 5 mixed-breed dogs, 135 walks of 12 minutes; air 19 C to 32 C | Above 35 C black globe: coat +20.5 C, skin +7.2 C, breathing about 47 to 374 a minute |
| do Nascimento et al. 2026, Brazil | Same dogs | Rectal temperature stayed at 38 C to 39 C; panting plateaued at a stress index of 170 |
| O'Brien et al. 2017, Texas | 24 kennel military dogs, July, 25 C to 29 C | Body temperature rose from 39.0 C to 40.1 C on a 21-minute walk |
| O'Brien et al. 2017, Texas | 24 training military dogs | Body temperature peaked 8 to 12 minutes after activity stopped |
| Carter and Hall 2018, UK | 108 canicross dogs, races at minus 5 C to 11 C | 10.7% of 281 readings exceeded 40.6 C, even in cold weather |
| Carter et al. 2024, UK | 52 canicross dogs, 115 cooling records | Temperature rose in the first 5 minutes after exercise in 24.4% |
| Tripovich et al. 2025, Australia | 20 years of New South Wales vet records | Deaths up 0.6% per 1 C above 25 C; up 9.5% on days above 32 C |
| Category | Heat index (F) | Heat index (C) | Effect on people with prolonged exposure or activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caution | 80 to 90 | 26.7 to 32.2 | Fatigue possible |
| Extreme caution | 90 to 103 | 32.2 to 39.4 | Heat stroke, cramps or exhaustion possible |
| Danger | 103 to 124 | 39.4 to 51.1 | Cramps or exhaustion likely; heat stroke possible |
| Extreme danger | 125 or more | 51.7 or more | Heat stroke highly likely |
Humidity makes things worse because dogs cool mainly by panting. The heat index combines air temperature and humidity into a 'feels like' figure. It was built for people, but dogs share the problem: wet air slows evaporative cooling.
Exercise heat illness can strike in mild weather too. In UK data the median daily maximum wet bulb globe temperature on heat illness days was only 16.9 C. Our dog heatstroke statistics report has the survival and trigger data.
How hot do Indian cities get in summer for dogs?
Most Indian plains cities sit well above these thresholds from April to June. Of 17 city stations, 13 have a normal May daily maximum of 35 C or more and 5 reach 40 C or more, per IMD normals for 1991 to 2020.
Nagpur is hottest at 43.1 C in May, then Ahmedabad at 41.8 C, Jodhpur at 41.2 C and Jaipur and Bhopal at 41.1 C. Delhi's Safdarjung station averages 39.9 C.
Coastal and southern cities are milder but humid. Mumbai's May normal is 33.7 C and Bengaluru's 33.1 C. Bengaluru and Pune peak in April rather than May.
Source: IMD climatological tables, period 1991 to 2020, via city.imd.gov.in station pages (WMO station numbers checked against NOAA's station list). Mean daily maximum for May.
Show the numbers
| Label | C |
|---|---|
| Nagpur | 43.1 C |
| Ahmedabad | 41.8 C |
| Jodhpur | 41.2 C |
| Jaipur | 41.1 C |
| Bhopal | 41.1 C |
| Delhi | 39.9 C |
| Lucknow | 39.9 C |
| Hyderabad | 39.7 C |
| Amritsar | 39.4 C |
| Patna | 37.5 C |
| Chennai | 37.3 C |
| Pune | 37.3 C |
| Kolkata | 36.1 C |
| Goa | 33.8 C |
| Mumbai | 33.7 C |
| Bengaluru | 33.1 C |
| Thiruvananthapuram | 32.8 C |
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| IMD station | April max (C) | May max (C) | June max (C) | May min (C) | Hottest month (max C) | IMD sub-division | Heatwave days 2024 | Heatwave days 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nagpur | 40.6 | 43.1 | 38.1 | 27.8 | May (43.1) | Vidarbha | 11 | 8 |
| Ahmedabad | 39.7 | 41.8 | 39 | 27.3 | May (41.8) | Gujarat Region | 14 | 7 |
| Jodhpur | 38.7 | 41.2 | 40 | 27.6 | May (41.2) | West Rajasthan | 29 | 33 |
| Jaipur | 37.6 | 41.1 | 39.7 | 27.1 | May (41.1) | East Rajasthan | 23 | 21 |
| Bhopal | 38.7 | 41.1 | 37.4 | 26.6 | May (41.1) | West Madhya Pradesh | 24 | 7 |
| Delhi (Safdarjung) | 36.5 | 39.9 | 39 | 25.8 | May (39.9) | Haryana, Chandigarh & Delhi | 30 | 11 |
| Lucknow | 38.2 | 39.9 | 38.3 | 24.8 | May (39.9) | not mapped | n/a | n/a |
| Hyderabad (Begumpet) | 38.2 | 39.7 | 35.1 | 26.6 | May (39.7) | Telangana | 12 | 1 |
| Amritsar | 34.4 | 39.4 | 38.9 | 21.9 | May (39.4) | Punjab | 27 | 7 |
| Patna | 37.1 | 37.5 | 36.4 | 25.2 | May (37.5) | Bihar | 30 | 4 |
| Chennai (Nungambakkam) | 34.7 | 37.3 | 37.2 | 28.2 | May (37.3) | Tamil Nadu, Puducherry & Karaikal | 13 | 0 |
| Pune | 37.9 | 37.3 | 32 | 22.9 | Apr (37.9) | Madhya Maharashtra | 8 | 1 |
| Kolkata (Dum Dum) | 35.9 | 36.1 | 34.8 | 26.2 | May (36.1) | Gangetic West Bengal | 31 | 4 |
| Goa (Panaji) | 33.4 | 33.8 | 30.9 | 26.3 | May (33.8) | Konkan & Goa | 4 | 1 |
| Mumbai (Santacruz) | 33.4 | 33.7 | 32.5 | 27 | Nov (34.1) | Konkan & Goa | 4 | 1 |
| Bengaluru | 34.1 | 33.1 | 29.7 | 21.8 | Apr (34.1) | South Interior Karnataka | 10 | 0 |
| Thiruvananthapuram | 33.7 | 32.8 | 30.9 | 25.2 | Mar (33.9) | Kerala & Mahe | 6 | 0 |
Source: IMD climatological table for New Delhi (Safdarjung), 1991 to 2020.
Show the numbers
| Label | C |
|---|---|
| Jan | 20.1 |
| Feb | 24.2 |
| Mar | 29.9 |
| Apr | 36.5 |
| May | 39.9 |
| Jun | 39.0 |
| Jul | 35.6 |
| Aug | 34.2 |
| Sep | 34.1 |
| Oct | 33.0 |
| Nov | 28.4 |
| Dec | 22.8 |
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Mornings stay warm in peak summer. Delhi's normal May minimum is 25.8 C, Nagpur's 27.8 C and Jodhpur's 27.6 C. In Delhi, the normal daily maximum stays at 33 C or more from April to October.
How many heatwave days did Indian cities have in 2025 and 2026?
IMD considers a heatwave once the maximum reaches 40 C in the plains, 37 C on the coast or 30 C in the hills. The reading must also be well above normal. A reading of 45 C or more in the plains counts on its own.
In 2025, West Rajasthan logged 33 heatwave days, East Rajasthan 21 and Saurashtra and Kutch 15. The Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi sub-division logged 11, down from 30 in 2024. Across all 33 sub-divisions the total fell from 554 in 2024 to 182 in 2025, as of IMD's August 2025 count.
The latest full city report we found is Delhi's for May 2026. Heat wave conditions hit on 6 days, and Ridge reached 46.5 C on 19 May. Safdarjung's warmest night was 32.4 C on 25 May, yet the month's mean maximum of 39.5 C was 0.4 C below normal.
Source: IMD data in Annexure-1 to Lok Sabha unstarred question 4494, Ministry of Earth Sciences, 20 August 2025. City in brackets is the station used in this report.
Show the numbers
| Label | days |
|---|---|
| West Rajasthan (Jodhpur) | 33 days |
| East Rajasthan (Jaipur) | 21 days |
| Haryana, Chandigarh & Delhi (Delhi) | 11 days |
| Vidarbha (Nagpur) | 8 days |
| Gujarat Region (Ahmedabad) | 7 days |
| West Madhya Pradesh (Bhopal) | 7 days |
| Punjab (Amritsar) | 7 days |
| Bihar (Patna) | 4 days |
| Gangetic West Bengal (Kolkata) | 4 days |
| Telangana (Hyderabad) | 1 day |
| Madhya Maharashtra (Pune) | 1 day |
| Konkan & Goa (Mumbai, Goa) | 1 day |
| Tamil Nadu, Puducherry & Karaikal (Chennai) | 0 days |
| South Interior Karnataka (Bengaluru) | 0 days |
| Kerala & Mahe (Thiruvananthapuram) | 0 days |
Embed this chart
| Condition | IMD criterion |
|---|---|
| Minimum maximum temperature to consider | 40 C in plains, 37 C on the coast, 30 C in hills |
| Heatwave by departure | 4.5 C to 6.4 C above normal |
| Severe heatwave by departure | More than 6.4 C above normal |
| Heatwave by actual temperature (plains) | 45 C or more |
| Severe heatwave by actual temperature (plains) | 47 C or more |
| Warm night | Minimum 4.5 C or more above normal, with the maximum threshold met |
| Declaring a heatwave | Criteria met at 2 or more stations in a sub-division on 2 straight days; declared on day two |
| Measure | May 2026 |
|---|---|
| Heat wave days | 6 (18, 19, 20, 21, 24 and 27 May) |
| Warm nights | 2 (21 and 25 May) |
| Highest maximum | 46.5 C at Ridge, 19 May |
| Highest maximum, Safdarjung | 45.1 C, 19 May |
| Highest minimum | 32.4 C at Safdarjung, 25 May |
| Mean maximum, Safdarjung | 39.5 C (normal 39.9 C) |
| Mean minimum, Safdarjung | 25.8 C (equal to normal) |
| Rainfall, Safdarjung | 17.6 mm (43% below normal) |
For state averages over 15 years and which breeds struggle most, see our heatwave days and dog heatstroke risk report.
Which dogs struggle most in Indian heat?
Flat-faced, heavy-coated and giant breeds have the least margin. In our editorial ratings for 58 breeds, 13 score 1 out of 5 for tolerating Indian heat. The same 13 score 1 for coping without air conditioning.
13 breeds score 1 on both, including the Pug, Siberian Husky, Saint Bernard and Chow Chow. For them, too hot can mean an ordinary May afternoon indoors.
Native breeds fare best. The Indian Pariah Dog scores 5 out of 5 for heat and for coping without AC in our ratings. Still, no breed is safe on 60 C asphalt.
| Breed | Tolerates Indian heat (1 to 5) | Copes without AC (1 to 5) |
|---|---|---|
| Alaskan Malamute | 1 | 1 |
| Bernese Mountain Dog | 1 | 1 |
| Bullmastiff | 1 | 1 |
| Chow Chow | 1 | 1 |
| English Bulldog | 1 | 1 |
| English Mastiff | 1 | 1 |
| French Bulldog | 1 | 1 |
| Pekingese | 1 | 1 |
| Pug | 1 | 1 |
| Saint Bernard | 1 | 1 |
| Samoyed | 1 | 1 |
| Siberian Husky | 1 | 1 |
| Tibetan Mastiff | 1 | 1 |
- Walk at the coolest hours: Delhi's May minimum averages 25.8 C, against a 39.9 C maximum.
- Prefer grass or shade: shade gave full protection from burn-level surface heat in the Adelaide study.
- Remember the lag: body temperature kept rising for 8 to 12 minutes after exercise in working dogs.
- Call a vet at once if a dog collapses, vomits or cannot stop panting after heat.
Our heat risk ranking of 58 breeds rates every breed, and the summer care guide covers water, shade and timing.
Frequently asked questions
How hot is too hot to walk a dog?
No single figure fits every dog, but risk rises from about 25 C. Dog deaths from all causes in New South Wales rose with each 1 C above a 25 C daily maximum. Dogs strained hard once a black globe reading passed 35 C.
How hot is too hot for a dog's paws?
Burn studies on human skin found damage in 15 minutes at 50 C and 5 seconds at 60 C. Phoenix asphalt had a median of 59.5 C at noon in August, and sunlit asphalt hit 74.4 C at a 48.9 C peak in Las Vegas.
How much hotter is pavement than the air?
Much hotter in sun. In Las Vegas, asphalt hit 74.4 C when the air was 48.9 C, and sunlit surfaces ran 20 C to 31 C hotter than shaded ones.
Is 35 degrees too hot for dogs?
It is high-risk for exercise. In a 2026 study, walks above a 35 C black globe reading sent breathing from about 47 to 374 breaths a minute. Of 17 Indian cities we checked, 13 average 35 C or more in May.
Is 40 degrees too hot for dogs in India?
Yes for walks in the sun. Phoenix asphalt had a 59.5 C median at noon in August, close to the 60 C that burns skin in 5 seconds. Walk at dawn, on grass, and keep exercise short.
What is the best time to walk a dog in Indian summer?
Early morning, before the sun heats the ground. Delhi's normal May minimum is 25.8 C, against a 39.9 C maximum, and Phoenix asphalt was still 52.0 C at 6 pm.
Which Indian city is hottest for dogs in May?
Nagpur, with a normal May maximum of 43.1 C, is the hottest of 17 cities we checked. Ahmedabad follows at 41.8 C and Jodhpur at 41.2 C, per IMD 1991 to 2020 normals.
What temperature is a heatwave in India?
IMD counts a heatwave when the maximum is at least 40 C in the plains and 4.5 C to 6.4 C above normal, or 45 C or more outright. In the hills the threshold is 30 C and on the coast 37 C.
Methodology and limitations
City normals come from IMD's climatological tables for 1991 to 2020, read from city.imd.gov.in station pages on 15 October 2026. We identified each station by its WMO number and checked names against NOAA's Integrated Surface Database station list. Delhi's values match IMD's Safdarjung PDF exactly.
For Chennai we used Nungambakkam (43278), whose values match IMD Chennai's station PDF. IMD's Meenambakkam PDF prints the same table, while the Meenambakkam station page gives a May maximum of 38.3 C, so we flag that conflict. Lucknow is not mapped to a sub-division.
Heatwave days come from Annexure-1 of Lok Sabha unstarred question 4494, answered on 20 August 2025, read via a web archive copy. IMD criteria come from IMD's morning heat bulletin of 30 June 2026. Delhi's May 2026 figures come from IMD's monthly weather report issued on 2 June 2026.
Study figures come from PubMed abstracts and, where open, full texts on Europe PMC, read on 15 October 2026. Fahrenheit values were converted to Celsius and rounded to one decimal. Breed ratings are dogeats.in editorial scores from our 58 breed guides, October 2026.
Sources
- Chestovich PJ et al. Temperature profiles of sunlight-exposed surfaces in a desert climate: determining the risk for pavement burns. J Burn Care Res 2023;44(2):438-445, Peak surface temperatures, sun vs shade, peak hours
- Kowal-Vern A et al. Streets of Fire revisited: contact burns. Burns and Trauma 2019;7:32, Phoenix noon and 6 pm surface medians; Moritz and Henriques burn thresholds; Harrington findings
- India Meteorological Department, city climatological tables 1991 to 2020 (station pages by WMO number; New Delhi Safdarjung shown), Monthly normal maximum and minimum temperatures for 17 cities
- Also consulted: do Nascimento PV et al. Cool and safe walks: heat stress threshold for domestic dogs living in hot and sunny regions. Int J Biometeorol 2026;70:187, Tripovich JS et al. Feeling the heat: daily ambient temperatures, extreme heat days and mortality in dogs from New South Wales. Aust Vet J 2025;103(11):717-723, Harrington WZ et al. Pavement temperature and burns: streets of fire. Ann Emerg Med 1995;26(5):563-568, Clifton T et al. Variation of surface temperatures of different ground materials on hot days. Burns 2016;42(2):453-456, Kumar A, Ranjan Mishra J, Pandian Elumalai S. Importance of measuring the temperature of paved surfaces to study the changes in the microclimate of an urban area. J Building Performance Simulation 2023, O'Brien C et al. Core temperature responses of military working dogs during training activities and exercise walks. US Army Med Dep J 2017, Carter AJ, Hall EJ. Investigating factors affecting the body temperature of dogs competing in canicross races in the UK. J Therm Biol 2018;72:33-38, Carter AJ et al. Post-exercise management of exertional hyperthermia in dogs participating in canicross events in the UK. J Therm Biol 2024, Hall EJ et al. Risk factors for severe and fatal heat-related illness in UK dogs. Veterinary Sciences 2022, IMD, Current temperature status and warning (morning heat bulletin), 30 June 2026, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Lok Sabha unstarred question 4494, 20 August 2025, Annexure-1, IMD Regional Meteorological Centre New Delhi, Monthly weather report of Delhi, May 2026, IMD, New Delhi (Safdarjung) extreme weather events and climatological table 1991 to 2020, US National Weather Service, Heat index, NOAA NCEI Integrated Surface Database station history (isd-history.csv), for WMO station names, IMD Chennai station PDFs for Nungambakkam and Meenambakkam.
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