Enter the air temperature and wind speed into the calculator to estimate a wind-cooled asphalt surface temperature (a rough approximation most applicable in shade/overcast conditions when the pavement is near the air temperature).

Asphalt Temperature Calculator

Enter any 2 values to calculate the missing variable

Note: This uses a simple wind-cooling rule of thumb: Asphalt ≈ Air − (0.2 °F per mph × Wind). Results are a rough approximation and may not apply in sunny conditions.

Related Calculators

Asphalt Temperature Formula (Simplified Wind-Cooling Approximation)

The calculator uses the following simplified relationship to estimate a wind-cooled asphalt surface temperature from air temperature and wind speed:

AT = AT_{air} - (C \cdot WS)

Variables:

  • AT is the estimated asphalt surface temperature (°F)
  • AT_{air} is the air temperature (°F)
  • WS is the wind speed (mph)
  • C is a wind-cooling coefficient with units of °F per mph (this calculator uses C = 0.2 °F/mph as a rule of thumb)

To estimate the asphalt temperature, subtract the product of wind speed and the coefficient from the air temperature. This is a rough approximation; real pavement/asphalt surface temperature is often dominated by solar radiation, cloud cover, time of day, and surface properties, so direct measurement (e.g., an IR thermometer) is recommended when accuracy matters.

What is Asphalt Temperature?

Asphalt temperature is the temperature of the asphalt surface, which can differ from the air temperature due to factors like solar radiation, wind speed, and material properties. Accurate measurement or estimation of asphalt temperature is crucial for paving operations, as it affects the curing time, compaction, and overall quality of the asphalt pavement.

How to Calculate Asphalt Temperature?

The following steps outline how to estimate the Asphalt Temperature.

  1. First, measure the air temperature (AT_{air}).
  2. Next, measure the wind speed (WS).
  3. Use the simplified wind-cooling formula AT = AT_{air} – (C × WS) to estimate the asphalt surface temperature (AT). (This calculator uses C = 0.2 °F/mph internally after converting units to °F and mph.)
  4. Finally, enter any two values into the calculator to compute the third.

Example Problem:

Use the following variables as an example problem to test your knowledge.

Air temperature (AT_{air}) = 75°F

Wind speed (WS) = 10 mph

Using the example formula (with C = 0.2 °F/mph), the estimated asphalt temperature would be:

AT = 75 – (0.2 * 10) = 73°F