Pinpoint Alert: Peak heat Wednesday with hottest high temperatures of the year for many

As hot, high-pressure air builds over the Pacific Northwest, temperatures will again climb well into the 90s for many spots Wednesday, stretching from Central Sound down through South Sound.

Some spots will be in the upper 90s to near 100° south of Puget Sound and on the south end of the Olympic Peninsula!

While it’s hot for humans to be outside, it’s also getting too hot for our four-legged friends, too!

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When air temperatures reach into the 90s, the surfaces we walk on “trap” the sun’s energy and become significantly hotter than the surrounding air. Dark asphalt and concrete absorb solar radiation all day long, creating conditions that can quickly cause burns to bare feet and your pet’s paws.

Here is how temperatures stack up when the air hits 95°:

Asphalt: Can easily soar to 140°

Concrete: Typically reaches around 125°

Grass in full sun: Stays cooler, but can still reach 105°

Shaded Areas: Much cooler with surface temperatures much closer to the air temperature.

While your pets often need to go outside — even on very hot days — make sure to take care that their paws don’t burn!

Here’s a simple rule of thumb. Place the back of your hand flat against the pavement. If it’s too hot to hold comfortably for seven seconds, it’s too hot for your dog’s paws. Try to stick to grassy areas and stay in the shade as much as possible.

We’ll see cooler temperatures ahead, but even beginning late Wednesday evening and extending into Thursday morning, there could be a few isolated thunderstorms across the region, signaling the change toward a more typical temperature pattern. We’ll be tracking that on KIRO 7 tonight through Wednesday.