What the Peterson AFB/Colorado Springs count says
In an average year at Peterson AFB/Colorado Springs, NOAA counts about 0 hours with the wet-bulb temperature above 73°F and about 1 hours above 67°F. Those figures belong to the station NOAA names Peterson AFB/Colorado Springs.
A wet-bulb count measures hours when the air is both warm and loaded with moisture. A count this low means the station seldom records air that is both warm and moist. That points a painter at a different question. On a dry day the worry isn't waiting for paint to dry; it's paint drying before it has had time to level and knit together.
When paint dries too fast
Water-based paint needs a short window to flow out, smooth its brush and roller marks, and fuse with the strokes beside it. In dry, moving air that window shrinks. The signs are familiar:
- Lap marks, darker or shinier bands where fresh paint overlapped an edge that had already begun to set.
- Flashing, patches of different sheen where touch-ups or patches dried differently from the field.
- Brush and roller texture that stays in the finish instead of flowing flat.
- Dry spray, a rough, sandy feel where sprayed paint dried in the air before landing.
None of these is a product defect. They're timing problems, and good technique solves most of them.
Keeping a wet edge
The most important habit is to work in sections small enough that each new stroke meets paint that is still wet:
- Paint a wall from one corner to the next without stopping partway.
- Cut in and roll one wall at a time, rather than cutting in a whole room first and rolling later.
- Load the roller fully and roll back into the wet edge.
- Keep doors and windows closed on breezy days while a coat goes on, then ventilate once it has set.
- Use a conditioner or extender if the paint maker allows it.
On exteriors, work in the shade and finish each run of siding to a natural break, such as a corner or a trim board.
Wood, stain and thirsty surfaces
Bare and weathered wood soaks up the first coat of anything. Stains on decks and fences can penetrate unevenly and blotch. Ask the painter whether they'll pre-wet or condition wood where the stain maker allows, and whether a second coat is planned. Our deck and fence staining page explains stain types and how they wear.
Patching compounds and caulk
Drywall compound and caulk shrink as they dry. In dry air they set faster, which can tempt a crew to sand and paint too soon. A patch that's still shrinking under the paint will show as a dimple or a crack later. Two thin coats of filler, fully dry and sanded, beat one thick one. Our drywall repair and surface preparation guide explains how to tell a patch is ready.
Lead-safe work on older homes
Under EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule, anyone paid to do work that disturbs paint in homes, childcare facilities and preschools built before 1978 must hold RRP certification, firms included, even sole proprietorships, and their workers must be trained in lead-safe work practices.
If your home was built before 1978, ask whether the firm holds RRP certification. That's the one credential ask on this page. Follow it with practical questions: how will dust be contained, how will the floor be protected, and how will the area be cleaned at the end of each day?
Before the painter starts
- How will you keep a wet edge on large walls?
- Will you thin, condition or extend the paint, and does the maker allow it?
- How long will patches dry before they're primed?
- Will you spray, brush or roll, and why?
Our interior painting and exterior painting pages cover each job, and our pricing guide explains what drives the cost.