Can it get hot enough to bake biscuits in your car?

By mbrooks on July 19, 2019

File – An ice sculpture is placed in a vehicle to warn of the dangers of leaving a dog in a hot car on April 9, 2014 in London, England. Today Dogs Trust unveils its summer campaign to highlight the true cost of only ’20 minutes’, the time it can take for a dog to die in a hot car. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images for Dogs Trust)

By Matthew Brooks

You’ve heard it said that in Arizona it can get hot enough to bake cookies on the sidewalk.

Can the sun really put enough heat onto your hometown to cook food?

The National Weather Service in Nebraska put that question to the test.

It is no secret that cars can get hot. Really hot. Dangerously hot.

The meteorologists in Nebraska were shocked to learn that the temperature in a car can reach 144 F.

And that oven-like temperature was not even in the direct sunlight. The 144 F heat was in the shade inside the car.

It was hot enough to at least try to bake biscuits.

Biscuits are starting to get a slightly golden tinge to them. pic.twitter.com/ptL24RHQfs

— NWS Omaha (@NWSOmaha) July 18, 2019

Scientists should be known for two things: Curiosity and strange experiments.

The results of the biscuits bake were surprising, if a bit unsatisfactory.

And after nearly 8 hours in the sun, the outside of the biscuit is actually edible. The middle is still pretty doughy though. The max temp on the pan was 185! Also we made festive biscuit hats 😂 Stay cool out there. #HeatSafety #LookBeforeYouLock pic.twitter.com/ptWP2jksrU

— NWS Omaha (@NWSOmaha) July 18, 2019

It reached 185 F on the metal tray in the car. If a baking sheet can get that hot after a few hours in the sun, so can the metal parts of a seat belt.

It is always a good idea to keep water bottles in the car during the summer. If you are going on a car trip, take a case of water bottles. Use sunshades if you will be parking your car outside for even a short period of time.

More safe summer driving tips:

Before you leave, make sure the car battery is in good working condition. If there is a battery leak, the battery’s effectiveness could soon be compromised.

Make sure the tires are properly inflated. And be aware of your tires’ depth. If you stick a penny upside down and you can see all of Abraham Lincoln’s head, your tire tread is low. Tires should have more than have 2/32 in. depth. Low depth means less traction on the road and more time and distance need to slow down or come to a complete stop.

Proper levels of coolant and oil is especially needed in the summer.

Your car’s air conditioner filter is, in most cars, easy to change. A new filter helps your engine and helps the quality of the air inside the car. Be sure to know if you car has a secondary filter for the cabin of the car.