The short answer
Late summer and early autumn are usually the best time for exterior painting in Hobart. Bureau of Meteorology averages show February has the fewest rain days, January to March are the warmest months and sunshine is long. Winter is workable with care, while spring brings the most rain days and strong afternoon winds.
All figures here come from the Bureau of Meteorology's climate statistics for Hobart (Ellerslie Road), station 094029, prepared September 2026. It is one central station, so conditions on the Eastern Shore, in the southern suburbs or on the slopes of kunanyi / Mount Wellington can differ.
Hobart's weather, month by month
The table shows the averages that matter most for painting. "Rain days" counts days with 1 mm or more of rain. Humidity is measured at 9am, when dew is still an issue for exterior work. Sunshine figures are from 1944 to 1995, the station's recorded sunshine period.
| Month | Mean max (°C) | Mean min (°C) | Rain days | 9am humidity (%) | Sunshine (hrs/day) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
January | 21.8 | 12.1 | 5.6 | 60 | 8.0 |
February | 21.8 | 12.1 | 4.9 | 64 | 7.3 |
March | 20.3 | 11.0 | 6.1 | 67 | 6.4 |
April | 17.4 | 9.0 | 6.8 | 71 | 5.3 |
May | 14.6 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 76 | 4.2 |
June | 12.1 | 5.2 | 7.2 | 79 | 3.9 |
July | 11.8 | 4.6 | 7.8 | 78 | 4.4 |
August | 13.2 | 5.3 | 8.4 | 73 | 5.0 |
September | 15.2 | 6.5 | 8.6 | 66 | 5.9 |
October | 17.0 | 7.8 | 9.4 | 63 | 6.5 |
November | 18.8 | 9.4 | 7.8 | 60 | 6.9 |
December | 20.4 | 10.9 | 7.2 | 60 | 7.4 |
Summer and early autumn: the most reliable window
January to March give Hobart's most settled painting weather. They have the fewest rain days of the year (5.6, 4.9 and 6.1 on average) and the warmest days, with mean maximums of 20 to 22°C. Sunshine is long too. February is the standout month for exterior work.
Summer has its own limits. Afternoon winds are strongest from October to January, averaging about 18 to 19 km/h at 3pm, which can blow dust onto wet paint and makes spraying harder. Very hot days are uncommon, with the station averaging 6.3 days a year at 30°C or more, but ask the painter how they handle hot afternoons on sunny walls, where paint can dry too fast.
April is usually still good, with 6.8 rain days and mild temperatures, although mornings become damper and daylight shorter.
Winter: possible, but slower
Exterior painting in a Hobart winter is possible but the working day is shorter. From May to July, 9am humidity averages 76 to 79 per cent, sunshine drops to around 4 hours a day and mean minimums fall to about 5°C. Surfaces stay damp later into the morning.
Cold is the other constraint. The station averages 12.9 days a year at or below 2°C, nearly all between May and September, and 26.1 days a year when the ground temperature falls to minus 1°C or lower. Frost and dew on walls and roofs can mean a later start and an earlier finish, so each coat has time to set before evening.
Every paint lists a minimum application temperature on its label. Ask the painter which product they plan to use, what its limits are and how they will decide whether a day is suitable. A winter exterior job can be well done, but expect it to take longer and allow for weather days.
Spring: warming up, but wetter and windier
Spring warms quickly but is Hobart's wettest season by rain days. September averages 8.6 rain days and October 9.4, the highest of any month. October to January also bring the year's strongest afternoon winds. Late spring can be good for painting, but schedules need more slack.
By November, rain days ease to 7.8, sunshine rises to nearly 7 hours a day and temperatures are comfortable. That makes late spring a reasonable alternative if the summer window is booked out.
Interior painting: any time of year
Interior painting does not depend on outdoor weather, so it can be done year-round in Hobart. The main winter issue is drying. With morning humidity in the high 70s and cold rooms, paint dries more slowly unless rooms are heated and ventilated.
Tips for interior painting in the colder months:
- keep the room heated to a comfortable temperature during and after painting
- open windows for short periods to let moisture out, when it is not raining
- avoid painting bathrooms and laundries straight after showers or washing
- allow longer between coats than you would in summer
A national interior painting cost guide (updated September 2026) notes that interior paint can take 7 to 30 days to fully cure, so treat new paint gently for the first few weeks in any season.
Decks, fences and roofs
Outdoor timber and roofs are the most weather-sensitive jobs, because timber must be dry before coating and roofs catch dew and frost first. For these, aim for the January to March window where you can, and allow extra days either side for cleaning and drying.
A national deck staining cost guide (updated December 2023) recommends letting a washed deck dry for two days before staining. In Hobart that is easiest in late summer, when rain days are fewest. Roofs are similar: the 26 ground-frost days a year cluster in winter, which shortens the working day on a roof.
Planning your painting job
Plan backwards from the weather. If you want an exterior repaint done in late summer, start getting quotes in spring so there is time to compare, arrange any heritage approval and book a start date. Ask each painter how they allow for rain and wind in their schedule.
A few questions worth asking:
- When could you start, and how many working days will the job take?
- How do you decide whether a day is suitable to paint outside?
- What happens to the price and schedule if weather causes delays?
- Will you paint in winter, and what would you change if you do?
Get a quote
Request a quote and we will pass your job to a local Hobart painter, who will contact you within one business day to talk about timing. Tell us roughly when you would like the work done. painters-hobart.com.au is an independent referral service, not a painter.
Sources
- Bureau of Meteorology, Climate statistics for Australian locations: Hobart (Ellerslie Road), station 094029, summary and full statistics, prepared 24 September 2026 (accessed 1 October 2026)
- National interior painting cost guide, updated 28 September 2026 (accessed 1 October 2026)
- National deck staining cost guide, updated 15 December 2023 (accessed 1 October 2026)