Asphalt is dark and dense. Its dark color causes it to absorb light and heat up. On a hot day, asphalt can easily be 40 to 60 degrees hotter than the air, some studies show. In Arizona, that can mean hitting temperatures as high as 180 degrees – just a little below boiling.
Just seconds of exposure to hot asphalt can result in burns. For people who have been on the pavement for 10 to 20 minutes, the skin can be completely destroyed with damage often going down deep, meaning it is a third-degree burn.