Automating Home Controls Based on Weather Data with n8n

I have a cat that likes extra warmth on cold days and Christmas lights that should turn on at sunset. Both need different conditions checked throughout the day.

Instead of manually toggling smart plugs or setting static schedules, I built an n8n workflow that makes decisions based on actual weather data. Govee provides the inexpensive power plugs with an API access.

The Setup

The workflow pulls current conditions and sunrise/sunset times, then controls smart plugs based on logic I defined:

For the cat's heater:

• Checks current temperature
• Evaluates weather conditions (clear vs overcast affects perceived warmth)
• Turns on extra heaters when it's actually cold
• Adjusts throughout the day as temps change

For Christmas lights:

• Uses sunrise/sunset data instead of fixed times
• Accounts for seasonal changes (sunset shifts daily)
• Turns lights on at dusk, off at a set hour

Why This Beats Static Schedules

A timer turning on a heater at 6 PM works until the weather changes. If it's 55°F one evening and 25°F the next, a static schedule doesn't adapt.

Same with lights. Sunset in December isn't sunset in January. Hardcoded times require manual updates or miss the mark entirely.

The workflow checks conditions and makes decisions in real time.

Implementation

Weather API calls are straightforward. Sunrise/sunset data comes from the same source. Smart plug control depends on your hardware, but most have APIs or integrations.

The decision logic is simple conditionals: if temp below X and conditions include Y, turn on plug Z.

Total setup time was maybe 30 minutes. Most of that was testing the conditional logic and confirming the plugs responded correctly.

Result

The cat gets extra heat when it's actually cold. The lights turn on when it actually gets dark. I don't think about either one anymore.

If you have smart plugs and want them to do more than run on timers, tying them to real data makes them significantly more useful. The automation is simple and the behavior is exactly what you want.