Is it good to paint in Fargo, ND this week?
A live 7-day go/no-go calendar for exterior paint in Fargo, 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
- 8.4°F
- Overnight dew
- Low
- Rain
- 10%
- Window
- 8am–5pm
Clear to paint: temps 68–83°F, RH under 84%, surface stays 8.4°F+ above the dew point, no rain in the cure window.
- Dew margin
- 0.9°F
- Overnight dew
- High
- Rain
- 26%
- Window
- —
High condensation risk overnight — surface dips to within 0.9°F of the 69°F dew point (low 70°F, 100% cloud, 7 mph wind). A fresh paint can blush/blister. Stop 4h before dew falls.
- Dew margin
- 4.2°F
- Overnight dew
- High
- Rain
- 16%
- Window
- —
High condensation risk overnight — surface dips to within 4.2°F of the 55°F dew point (low 59°F, 0% cloud, 5 mph wind). A fresh paint can blush/blister. Stop 4h before dew falls.
- Dew margin
- 14°F
- Overnight dew
- Low
- Rain
- 3%
- Window
- 8am–5pm
Clear to paint: temps 63–85°F, RH under 76%, surface stays 14°F+ above the dew point, no rain in the cure window.
- Dew margin
- 4.9°F
- Overnight dew
- Watch
- Rain
- 20%
- Window
- —
Too hot — high of 95°F is well over the 85°F ceiling; the film skins over before it can level or adhere.
- Dew margin
- 12°F
- Overnight dew
- Low
- Rain
- 34%
- Window
- 8am–5pm
Some rain risk (34%) during the cure window — re-check the radar before you start.
- Dew margin
- 0.1°F
- Overnight dew
- High
- Rain
- 13%
- Window
- —
High condensation risk overnight — surface dips to within 0.1°F of the 60°F dew point (low 60°F, 100% cloud, 4 mph wind). A fresh paint can blush/blister. Stop 4h before dew falls.
- Clear to paint: temps 68–83°F, RH under 84%, surface stays 8.4°F+ above the dew point, no rain in the cure window.
Good to go. 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.