Deep dive into setting thermostat temperature based on weather forecasts

Go beyond reacting to the current temperature in your home. You can now create smart home automations that proactively adjust your thermostat based on the day's weather forecast. This allows your home to prepare for hot or cold weather automatically, ensuring comfort while optimizing energy usage.

What's new

By converting a Home automation to a Shortcut, you can now access powerful actions from the Weather app. This update lets you pull the Daily Forecast for your current location directly into your automation's logic. You can then use an If statement to check conditions like the predicted high or low temperature for the day and control your smart thermostat accordingly.

How to use this feature

1. In the Home app, go to the Automation tab and tap the + icon to create a new automation.
2. Choose A Time of Day Occurs as the trigger and select a time, like Sunrise. Set it to repeat daily.
3. On the accessories screen, scroll to the bottom and select Convert To Shortcut.
4. Add a Get Weather Forecast action and set it to get the Daily forecast for your Current Location.
5. Add an If action. Tap the input variable and select the High temperature from the Weather Conditions.
6. Set the condition, for example, is greater than or equal to 76°F.
7. Inside the If block, add a Control Home action, select your thermostat, and set it to your desired cooling mode and temperature (e.g., Cool to 72°F).
8. Optionally, add another Control Home action under the Otherwise block to set your thermostat to heat if the forecast is cold.

Key capabilities

• Proactive Climate Control: Set your thermostat to cool mode in the morning only if the day is predicted to be hot, saving energy on milder days.
• Winter Preparation: Automatically switch to heat mode if the day's predicted low is below a certain threshold.
• Energy Savings: Avoid running your HVAC system unnecessarily by making decisions based on the forecast, not just the current indoor temperature.
• Complex Logic: Combine weather conditions with other triggers, such as whether someone is home, to create highly customized and efficient climate automations.

Tips for getting the most out of this feature

For a complete climate solution, build a single automation that handles both hot and cold forecasts. Use the If block to check for a high temperature and set cooling, then add actions to the Otherwise block to check for a low temperature and set heating. This creates a versatile, all-season automation that runs just once a day.

Summary

Automating your thermostat based on weather forecasts is a powerful way to make your smart home more intelligent and hands-free. By setting a daily automation at sunrise, you can ensure your home's climate is perfectly prepared for the day ahead, keeping you comfortable while also being mindful of energy consumption.