VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — You don't need a scorching hot day for Virginia Beach sand to burn you. On a partly cloudy day with air temperatures around 90 degrees, sand temperatures can climb close to 130 degrees — hot enough to cause second-degree burns.
Sand temperatures at Virginia Beach reached dangerous levels on a recent mid-July day, even with clouds in the sky and a relatively mild air temperature of around 90 degrees.
Tony Nargi, meteorologist with Scripps News Group Norfolk, began testing with an infrared thermometer at 11 a.m. Despite rain the previous night — which typically keeps sand cooler — the sand was already dry and registering 119 degrees by mid-morning. First-degree burns can happen in seconds on sand at 120 degrees or above. Second-degree burns can occur when sand exceeds 130 degrees.
After about an hour of partly cloudy conditions, sand temperatures climbed to just under 130 degrees by noon.
On days with clear skies and air temperatures reaching 100 degrees — like this past Fourth of July — sand temperatures can exceed 140 degrees and cause serious burns.
Virginia Beach residents Kiana and Maria said they have dealt with the problem for years and offered their advice.
"With flip flops you are going to burn the sides of your feet. No flimsy flip flops," Maria said.
"The bear traps are a great shoe to wear while you're walking on hot sand, because it has a thick sole. And take your time walking, don't drag your feet, pick up your feet!" Kiana said.
Another strategy is visiting the beach when the sun angle is lower — before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m. — when sand temperatures are less likely to reach dangerous levels.
- This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. To learn more about how we use AI in our newsroom, click here.
