Cars heat up very quickly when sitting in the sun. Even a relatively cool day by Texas standards can result in dangerously high temperatures inside your car.
As temperatures heat up heading into summer, it's time for a reminder to never leave kids, petsstandards can result in dangerously high temperatures inside your car.
According to the National Weather Service, temperatures in your car can exceed 100 degrees in less than 20 minutes when the outside temperature is only 80 degrees. Temperatures this week will be much hotter than expected, highs will be 101-105 across Central Texas. That means parking lot temperatures will easily exceed 110 degrees because of the heat from the pavement. In your car, it could exceed 130 degrees in less than 10 minutes.degree conditions and the warming won't stop there. If parked for around an hour, temperatures in your car will peak around 140 degrees with the dashboard approaching 160 degrees.
Darker materials like black or dark gray cloth or leather are much more efficient radiators of heat energy. That's why if you have dark upholstery, your car feels so hot when you get in. Sun shades on your dashboard and properly tinted windows can help keep your car cooler. But the best way is to park in the shade.
Even if the car is parked in the shade it is extremely important to never leave kids, pets, or people in un-air-conditioned cars for any amount of time. A shaded car can be less hot than one in the sun, but temperatures can still exceed 110 degrees which can cause heat illness in about 30 minutes.