Is it good to paint in Boston, MA this week?
A live 7-day go/no-go calendar for exterior paint in Boston, 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
- 3.6°F
- Overnight dew
- High
- Rain
- 17%
- Window
- —
High condensation risk overnight — surface dips to within 3.6°F of the 59°F dew point (low 63°F, 5% cloud, 5 mph wind). A fresh paint can blush/blister. Stop 4h before dew falls.
- Dew margin
- 11.4°F
- Overnight dew
- Low
- Rain
- 6%
- Window
- 8am–5pm
Clear to paint: temps 67–83°F, RH under 76%, surface stays 11.4°F+ above the dew point, no rain in the cure window.
- Dew margin
- 6.5°F
- Overnight dew
- Low
- Rain
- 2%
- Window
- 8am–5pm
Clear to paint: temps 65–72°F, RH under 51%, surface stays 6.5°F+ above the dew point, no rain in the cure window.
- Dew margin
- 0.8°F
- Overnight dew
- High
- Rain
- 67%
- Window
- —
High condensation risk overnight — surface dips to within 0.8°F of the 64°F dew point (low 65°F, 100% cloud, 11 mph wind). A fresh paint can blush/blister. Stop 4h before dew falls.
- Dew margin
- 4.4°F
- Overnight dew
- Watch
- Rain
- 67%
- Window
- —
Rain likely in the 24h cure window (67% chance) — it can wash out or mar an uncured paint.
- Dew margin
- 1.1°F
- Overnight dew
- High
- Rain
- 2%
- Window
- —
High condensation risk overnight — surface dips to within 1.1°F of the 63°F dew point (low 64°F, 44% cloud, 6 mph wind). A fresh paint can blush/blister. Stop 4h before dew falls.
- Dew margin
- 7°F
- Overnight dew
- Low
- Rain
- 12%
- Window
- 8am–5pm
Clear to paint: temps 69–80°F, RH under 77%, surface stays 7°F+ above the dew point, no rain in the cure window.
- High condensation risk overnight — surface dips to within 3.6°F of the 59°F dew point (low 63°F, 5% cloud, 5 mph wind). A fresh paint can blush/blister. Stop 4h before dew falls.
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.
Free in the beta
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.