TEXAS, USA — This week's edition of Weather Impact 101 takes you outside to local playgrounds around the city of Temple to measure playground equipment and see how hot that equipment gets as it sits in the sun all day long. Most of the parks in the Temple area have some type of covering or plenty of trees to provide shade.
Meteorologist Avaionia Smith took measurements on days in June, July, and August to compare different temperature during the summer months. Through her observations it became clear that the weather forecast and time of day plays a significant role in how hot equipment will get. Temperatures ranged between 80-126° between June-August. (See data below) 126° is too hot for bare skin, and if directly exposed could cause burns.
She spoke with a parent who expressed that her favorite part about the park is how shaded the area is and that it is made of wood because the plastic does get very hot. Avaionia also spoke with some kids at the park who love coming to the playground and even on hot days want to come outside and play even if that means sweating a little. Do you ever think playground equipment is too hot? Here are some numbers to help you answer that question.
Data:
June 24-28 2024 Weather Forecast and Equipment Temperatures:
Time between 10am-3pm
Highs were above the average in the upper 90's June 24th-26th and reaching up to 100 degrees June 27th and 28th. A heat advisory was in effect through the week with heat indices between 105-110°. No rain was in the forecast and the skies were mostly sunny.
Monkey bars- 102° Fahrenheit
Slide 1: 99° Fahrenheit
Metal Slide: 126° Fahrenheit
Swing: 95° Fahrenheit
Tire Swing: N/A
July 22-26 2024 Weather Forecast and Equipment Temperatures:
Time between 10am-3pm
Highs dropped below the average this week with no heat advisory for the area. Cloudy skies and and a 40% chance of rain was in the forecast. Hit or miss scattered showers were over the area through the morning and afternoon. Highs ranged between 84-91°.
Monkey bars- 82 degrees Fahrenheit
Slide 1: 80 degrees Fahrenheit
Metal Slide: N/A
Swing: 75 degrees Fahrenheit
Tire Swing: 80 degrees Fahrenheit
August 5-8 2024 Weather Forecast and Equipment Temperatures:
Time between 10am-3pm
Highs were near to above average with temps in the triple digits through much of the week and heat index values between 105-110 degrees, So, that means A heat advisory was in place this week as well.
Money bars- 105 degrees Fahrenheit
Slide 1: 97degrees Fahrenheit
Metal Slide: N/A
Swing: 104 degrees Fahrenheit
Tire Swing: N/A
In conclusion it is always important to stay safe because during the heat of the day some equipment can get as hot as 130+ degrees. This could lead to burns if the bare skin comes in contact with the hot surfaces. Some best practices when planning a day to the playground are to check the weather forecast of the day, avoid the heat of the day between 3-5pm, try to find a shaded park, pack water, and of course have fun.