Is it good to paint in Wilmington, DE this week?
A live 7-day go/no-go calendar for exterior paint in Wilmington, built from the local forecast against the 5°F-above-dew-point rule. We lead with the signal a weather app misses: overnight condensation risk.
- Dew margin
- 0.8°F
- Overnight dew
- High
- Rain
- 2%
- Window
- —
High condensation risk overnight — surface dips to within 0.8°F of the 62°F dew point (low 61°F, 100% cloud, 2 mph wind). A fresh paint can blush/blister. Stop 4h before dew falls.
- Dew margin
- 3.6°F
- Overnight dew
- Watch
- Rain
- 3%
- Window
- —
Humidity peaks at 97% — well above the 85% ceiling; cure stalls and moisture gets trapped.
- Dew margin
- 1.8°F
- Overnight dew
- High
- Rain
- 37%
- Window
- —
High condensation risk overnight — surface dips to within 1.8°F of the 65°F dew point (low 57°F, 100% cloud, 8 mph wind). A fresh paint can blush/blister. Stop 4h before dew falls.
- Dew margin
- 6.4°F
- Overnight dew
- Low
- Rain
- 10%
- Window
- 8am–5pm
Clear to paint: temps 57–71°F, RH under 65%, surface stays 6.4°F+ above the dew point, no rain in the cure window.
- Dew margin
- 0.2°F
- Overnight dew
- High
- Rain
- 26%
- Window
- —
High condensation risk overnight — surface dips to within 0.2°F of the 59°F dew point (low 59°F, 96% cloud, 2 mph wind). A fresh paint can blush/blister. Stop 4h before dew falls.
- Dew margin
- 12.7°F
- Overnight dew
- Low
- Rain
- 16%
- Window
- 10am–5pm
High humidity (91%, over the 85% mark) slows drying — keep an eye on the cure window.
- Dew margin
- 15.6°F
- Overnight dew
- Low
- Rain
- 0%
- Window
- 10am–5pm
Cold mornings (down to 46°F, floor is 50°F) — wait for the surface to warm past midday before you paint.
- High condensation risk overnight — surface dips to within 0.8°F of the 62°F dew point (low 61°F, 100% cloud, 2 mph wind). A fresh paint can blush/blister. Stop 4h before dew falls.
- High humidity (92%, over the 85% mark) slows drying — keep an eye on the cure window.
Hold off. These are forecast numbers — confirm the surface temperature on-site before you start.
Why these thresholds
Overnight dew condensing on a fresh coat causes blistering, surfactant leaching and peeling — the cause of 40%+ of exterior paint failures.
- • Surface temp must stay 5°F above the dew point through application and cure (ASTM D3276 / ISO 8502-42).
- • Air + surface in the 50–85°F band (low-temp lines to 35°F).
- • Humidity under 85%; ideally under 70%.
- • No rain for 24h after application.
- • We use the forecast ground-surface temperature as a surface-temp proxy — confirm on-site with an IR thermometer.
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Watch this job site 24/7
Get an email the moment overnight dew, rain, or an out-of-range stretch threatens a fresh coat — and a morning digest with the best window ahead. No app to check; we watch the forecast for you.