How Hot Can Louisiana Roads Get Before They Explode?

It's getting to that point in the summer where heat advisories aren't really advising anyone in Louisiana. Well all know its hot. The only thing that changes from day-to-day, is what kind of crazy thing is going to happen because of the heat?

Are we going to get a story about power outages, or will businesses have to close if their air conditioning breaks? What about when something truly bizarre happens, like when the road explodes.

Can Louisiana Roads Explode?

Yes...ROADS. EXPLODE.

It's happened. It's happened in Louisiana. But the word "explode" might not mean the same to everyone. Even though it gets used to describe various different phenomenon with roadways in excessive heat.

Louisiana Roads Can Buckle, Melt, and Pop In the Heat

Sometimes roadways will 'buckle" in the heat; where the roadway will push up and crack. Forming a ramp of sorts, which can damage cars as they pass over them.

Roads, and parking lots, can also melt in the heat. Especially asphalt, which can melt at a temperature of 120 degrees Fahrenheit. That doesn't mean the air temperature has to be 120, that means the road surface gets to 120 degrees. Which can happen in the sun when the air temperature reaches approximately 95 degrees.

Then, in some cases, parts of roads will explode, or at least pop. Sometimes parts of roads that have been patched can heat up and pop. Throwing chunks of road into the air, and reopening filled potholes.

How Hot Does It Have To Be For Roads To Buckle?

At the core of the phenomenon, there really isn't a "magic number" for the temperature to cause roads to buckle, melt, or explode. But we can look back to the melting point of asphalt to get a good idea. Once road surface temperatures reach 120 degrees, melting can occur, which can lead to many of these issues.

Buckling can be brought on by the expansion of materials in the road. Including moisture, bonding, and the underlying ground. When joints fail, the roadway can buckle, crack, pop, or explode. Essentially, once we start to reach temperatures that can get the roadway surface temps around that 120, we can start to see this happen.