6 ms·

Texting myself the weather every day

27 points by benslv 1y ago

mayas_ 1y ago
this might come in handy for dumb phone users
Cockbrand 1y ago
1st version: relies on one single third-party service Preamble to the 2nd version: This is something I should be able to code and host myself, without relying on a third-party 2nd and thus far final version: relies on three third-party services
- dwedge 1y ago
  That made me laugh. Github actions was just running Cron so that one could easily be self hosted.
- sixothree 1y ago
  I had to leave twilio after the new requirements for SMS took effect. I just couldn't get approved to send text messages to a single phone number - myself.
- CommenterPerson 1y ago
  Wonder if the new solution potentially decreases (or increases) the volume of banal surveillance.
HelloUsername 1y ago
I'd write the message even shorter, (and without emoji's) more like: "Cloudy - 25°C - 15% rain - 6 UV". And for even less effort, send it not as SMS but a persistant notification that you can swipe/tap away.
jpmonette 1y ago
Have you tried push notifications through a PWA? Not sure it works but could skip the need for Twilio & £20 budget! https://push.foo/ https://push.foo/
- loloquwowndueo 1y ago
  Pushover is $7 one-time, you can push notifications via a simple api. Having a machine hosted on, say, fly.io waking up once a day, fetching open meteo data and pushing via the pushover api would effectively cost $0/month.
  - mft_ 1y ago
    There's a similar app called alertzy that is free to install and (within reason) free to use too. I've recently started using for washing machine notifications.
loloquwowndueo 1y ago
Cool, however “ Opening the Weather app every morning is too much effort” - is it really? And even if it was, don't most mobile OSes support having a Lock Screen weather widget you can check at a glance?
- dewey 1y ago
  Most of the time it’s a solution looking for a problem with these recreational programming writeups, and that’s perfectly fine. I also wrote a script that downloads my mum’s favorite series from public broadcasters, puts them in Plex and sends her a text message. Is it necessary? No, but it was fun.
  - dfxm12 1y ago
    It's fine, but it's also good to be honest with yourself and your readers.
    - dwedge 1y ago
      He was being honest, it was clear tongue in cheek sarcasm
- stemlord 1y ago
  Yeah on my Android device I use an app called Breezy Weather [1] which shows me the temp, weather, and air quality on my lock screen. I'd love to figure out how to get an hourly weather widget on the lock screen though. [1] https://github.com/breezy-weather/breezy-weather https://github.com/breezy-weather/breezy-weather
- pmg101 1y ago
  This is a British thing called self-deprecating humour where he's already thought ahead to those who will critically ask, "wouldn't it be less effort to just open the Weather app every morning!?" and is jokingly acknowledging that yes, it would be, while signalling to other hackers this shared feeling we all know that we don't do these things to save time even if we say we do, we do them because they make us happy.
medbar 1y ago
many mobile carriers allow sending texts via email (for example: 3048675309@vtext.com with a verizon number), which might be worth looking into should you want to avoid twilio completely.
- davidgh 1y ago
  Sadly, it seems this option is fading away, at least in the US. https://www.smseagle.eu/2025/05/08/no-support-for-email-to-text-from-att-verizon-and-t-mobile-what-are-your-alternatives/ https://www.smseagle.eu/2025/05/08/no-support-for-email-to-t...
  - is_true 1y ago
    I did this with my carrier in my country and a couple of years ago it stopped working. I had a filter in Gmail that forwarded some emails and a cron script that checked the value from a river gauge and sent a text.
thomascountz 1y ago
OP appears to be using an iOS device, so I was curious to see if this could be replicated using Shortcuts and Automations. It can! And you can send yourself an SMS, or, as I've done in this example, send a notification, which will persist in Notification Center, if you wish. https://www.icloud.com/shortcuts/8cda97aa69174e44b434c3dba7ad796d https://www.icloud.com/shortcuts/8cda97aa69174e44b434c3dba7a...
- Kwpolska 1y ago
  I quickly looked at Samsung's Modes and Routines app, and you could build a similar routine (but only with a local notification).
  - metadat 1y ago
    What is the restriction with Android? Can't send a text?
    - Kwpolska 1y ago
      No idea, there was no action for sending texts.
    - jcynix 1y ago
      You can easily send text and do a lot of other automation stuff with the MacroDroid app. I use it to e.g. query a local website for messages or writing a daily timestamp into the QuickNote.md file of Markor (another highly useful app) cf. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacroDroid https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacroDroid
- maCDzP 1y ago
  I created this but with ChatGPT in the middle where it gives recommendation on how to dress my 4 yer old depending on the weather. It messages my families telegram channel.
  - thomascountz 1y ago
djfivyvusn 1y ago
Doesn't your weather app make a daily notification for weather?
tanvach 1y ago
Having explored Twillio for text messaging recently, turns out it’s getting very hard to be able to send them programmatically in the US due to lengthy A2P registration process. I understand in spirit this aims to reduce text spam, but my feeling is this becoming another money making opportunity for carriers. https://www.twilio.com/docs/flex/admin-guide/setup/conversations/a2p-10dlc https://www.twilio.com/docs/flex/admin-guide/setup/conversat...
- kaishiro 1y ago
  Having very recently gone through this process for both a “local” number A2P registration as well as a toll-free registration process I can say, unequivocally, that’s already what it is. There is no step in the process that would deter any company from taking the ~30 minutes of effort to get the registration details in order. We run a legitimate company that was only seeking to send transactional notifications that our customers specifically requested, and it took 4 rounds of back and forth to get approved. However, each step provided a very clear error code with very specific remedies (e.g. Opt-in form must include language which states…), which would make it a rote process for automation or even manual repetition. In fact, the only thing that I could see which would deter a company which seeks to rely on spam for profit would be if the registration fees were larger than their expected profit (they’re not, thankfully). I don’t even mean this comment to necessarily be an indictment of the process - it was…fine? I’m just not entirely sure what it’s purpose could be except to collect additional fees for each SMS campaign.
- crabl 1y ago
  Sole prop registrations (for individuals/non-corporations) are not _too_ onerous anymore and generally have a faster time to approval, provided you submit the right docs. Totally agree it's a money grab though. Twilio et al. have so much power to keep bad actors at bay but keep pushing responsibility to the consumers of their API. I feel like setting up push notifications is easier though, which is saying something.
porridgeraisin 1y ago
Might be a weird question but, what value do people get from knowing the current weather? I understand the value in forecasts of course, but doesn't "feeling" the current weather serve most practical purposes?
- lithocarpus 1y ago
  For me it's about being able to build a mental model of the relationship between the forecast and the feeling so when I look at a forecast for the future I have a better idea what that might actually feel like. The numbers alone aren't enough especially in places with microclimates and shade etc.
- jmll 1y ago
  If you walk or ride a bike, it reminds you to wear the right jacket (:
- dwedge 1y ago
  I live in a place where right now it's either 16C or 28C and looks the same in the morning. It's important for knowing what to wear
Kwpolska 1y ago
> Interestingly, GitHub Workflows don’t support timezones! This means that, if I want to sent a text every morning at 7am, when on BST (British Summer Time) I actually need to schedule it for 6am instead. Nothing a little kludge within the workflow can't solve... Set it up for 6am and 7am, check current time in London, skip sending the text if it's the wrong hour.
- brycewray 1y ago
  There's also a GitHub Action, `set-timezone`, that can be called in the workflow for that purpose: https://github.com/szenius/set-timezone https://github.com/szenius/set-timezone
cryptozeus 1y ago
Yahoo weather > settings > enable morning notifications , select time.
citizenpaul 1y ago
I tried to do this a few years ago and realized there is no reliable way to send myself an SMS without paying a not insignificant monthly fee somewhere. To the point where I might as well just pay for a service that already exists that does this and a lot more.
- thaumasiotes 1y ago
  I can send myself an SMS via Google Voice, which has never charged me anything.
  - citizenpaul 1y ago
    Cool thanks I'll check it out.
- billynomates 1y ago
  I use the Telegram bot API to send myself the UV Index every morning, it's really simple to use and free
lormayna 1y ago
I don't know in USA, but in Europe you can subscribe a 1€/month SIM contract that allow you to send a large number of SMS or even get a prepaid SIM. Using an old phone, connected via USB to a Raspberry would be an alternative and you will not rely on any third party service.
- szszrk 1y ago
  That used to be the way to do that in 2G era. Multiple Nokia 6210 or similar connected via RS ports to servers. It was reliable, reasonably priced (SMS price was not great compared to today), allowed for around 12 or so texts a minute AFAIR. Some companies I know used to do that for downtime notifications to admins. Today I can get a card with unlimited text for around 3-4€ a month. Honestly pushover is better and cheaper.
donohoe 1y ago
I have this, both as a message and a web page bookmarked to my Homescreen. The big difference is it also tells me if it’s going to be colder/warmer than yesterday. That just helps me immediately know what to wear as I stumble through my morning.
browningstreet 1y ago
I use IFTTT to tell me when the weather in SF is going to be cloudy (better for hiking and running) or windy (there are certain outdoor adventures I'm less inclined to do when the wind exceeds 20 mph). I do wish I could just set those notifications locally.
clambakenow 1y ago
Why not use Brzzy Weather? Latest update includes a weather ai. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/brzzy-weather-ai-forecast/id6670187343 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/brzzy-weather-ai-forecast/id66...

27 points by benslv 1y ago

this might come in handy for dumb phone users

1st version: relies on one single third-party service Preamble to the 2nd version: This is something I should be able to code and host myself, without relying on a third-party 2nd and thus far final version: relies on three third-party services

dwedge 1y ago
That made me laugh. Github actions was just running Cron so that one could easily be self hosted.
sixothree 1y ago
I had to leave twilio after the new requirements for SMS took effect. I just couldn't get approved to send text messages to a single phone number - myself.
CommenterPerson 1y ago
Wonder if the new solution potentially decreases (or increases) the volume of banal surveillance.

HelloUsername 1y ago

I'd write the message even shorter, (and without emoji's) more like: "Cloudy - 25°C - 15% rain - 6 UV". And for even less effort, send it not as SMS but a persistant notification that you can swipe/tap away.

jpmonette 1y ago

Have you tried push notifications through a PWA? Not sure it works but could skip the need for Twilio & £20 budget! https://push.foo/ https://push.foo/

loloquwowndueo 1y ago
Pushover is $7 one-time, you can push notifications via a simple api. Having a machine hosted on, say, fly.io waking up once a day, fetching open meteo data and pushing via the pushover api would effectively cost $0/month.
- mft_ 1y ago
  There's a similar app called alertzy that is free to install and (within reason) free to use too. I've recently started using for washing machine notifications.

loloquwowndueo 1y ago

Cool, however “ Opening the Weather app every morning is too much effort” - is it really? And even if it was, don't most mobile OSes support having a Lock Screen weather widget you can check at a glance?

dewey 1y ago
Most of the time it’s a solution looking for a problem with these recreational programming writeups, and that’s perfectly fine. I also wrote a script that downloads my mum’s favorite series from public broadcasters, puts them in Plex and sends her a text message. Is it necessary? No, but it was fun.
- dfxm12 1y ago
  It's fine, but it's also good to be honest with yourself and your readers.
  - dwedge 1y ago
    He was being honest, it was clear tongue in cheek sarcasm
stemlord 1y ago
Yeah on my Android device I use an app called Breezy Weather [1] which shows me the temp, weather, and air quality on my lock screen. I'd love to figure out how to get an hourly weather widget on the lock screen though. [1] https://github.com/breezy-weather/breezy-weather https://github.com/breezy-weather/breezy-weather
pmg101 1y ago
This is a British thing called self-deprecating humour where he's already thought ahead to those who will critically ask, "wouldn't it be less effort to just open the Weather app every morning!?" and is jokingly acknowledging that yes, it would be, while signalling to other hackers this shared feeling we all know that we don't do these things to save time even if we say we do, we do them because they make us happy.

medbar 1y ago

many mobile carriers allow sending texts via email (for example: 3048675309@vtext.com with a verizon number), which might be worth looking into should you want to avoid twilio completely.

davidgh 1y ago
Sadly, it seems this option is fading away, at least in the US. https://www.smseagle.eu/2025/05/08/no-support-for-email-to-text-from-att-verizon-and-t-mobile-what-are-your-alternatives/ https://www.smseagle.eu/2025/05/08/no-support-for-email-to-t...
- is_true 1y ago
  I did this with my carrier in my country and a couple of years ago it stopped working. I had a filter in Gmail that forwarded some emails and a cron script that checked the value from a river gauge and sent a text.

thomascountz 1y ago

OP appears to be using an iOS device, so I was curious to see if this could be replicated using Shortcuts and Automations. It can! And you can send yourself an SMS, or, as I've done in this example, send a notification, which will persist in Notification Center, if you wish. https://www.icloud.com/shortcuts/8cda97aa69174e44b434c3dba7ad796d https://www.icloud.com/shortcuts/8cda97aa69174e44b434c3dba7a...

Kwpolska 1y ago
I quickly looked at Samsung's Modes and Routines app, and you could build a similar routine (but only with a local notification).
- metadat 1y ago
  What is the restriction with Android? Can't send a text?
  - Kwpolska 1y ago
    No idea, there was no action for sending texts.
  - jcynix 1y ago
    You can easily send text and do a lot of other automation stuff with the MacroDroid app. I use it to e.g. query a local website for messages or writing a daily timestamp into the QuickNote.md file of Markor (another highly useful app) cf. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacroDroid https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacroDroid
maCDzP 1y ago
I created this but with ChatGPT in the middle where it gives recommendation on how to dress my 4 yer old depending on the weather. It messages my families telegram channel.
- thomascountz 1y ago

djfivyvusn 1y ago

Doesn't your weather app make a daily notification for weather?

tanvach 1y ago

Having explored Twillio for text messaging recently, turns out it’s getting very hard to be able to send them programmatically in the US due to lengthy A2P registration process. I understand in spirit this aims to reduce text spam, but my feeling is this becoming another money making opportunity for carriers. https://www.twilio.com/docs/flex/admin-guide/setup/conversations/a2p-10dlc https://www.twilio.com/docs/flex/admin-guide/setup/conversat...

kaishiro 1y ago
Having very recently gone through this process for both a “local” number A2P registration as well as a toll-free registration process I can say, unequivocally, that’s already what it is. There is no step in the process that would deter any company from taking the ~30 minutes of effort to get the registration details in order. We run a legitimate company that was only seeking to send transactional notifications that our customers specifically requested, and it took 4 rounds of back and forth to get approved. However, each step provided a very clear error code with very specific remedies (e.g. Opt-in form must include language which states…), which would make it a rote process for automation or even manual repetition. In fact, the only thing that I could see which would deter a company which seeks to rely on spam for profit would be if the registration fees were larger than their expected profit (they’re not, thankfully). I don’t even mean this comment to necessarily be an indictment of the process - it was…fine? I’m just not entirely sure what it’s purpose could be except to collect additional fees for each SMS campaign.
crabl 1y ago
Sole prop registrations (for individuals/non-corporations) are not _too_ onerous anymore and generally have a faster time to approval, provided you submit the right docs. Totally agree it's a money grab though. Twilio et al. have so much power to keep bad actors at bay but keep pushing responsibility to the consumers of their API. I feel like setting up push notifications is easier though, which is saying something.

porridgeraisin 1y ago

Might be a weird question but, what value do people get from knowing the current weather? I understand the value in forecasts of course, but doesn't "feeling" the current weather serve most practical purposes?

lithocarpus 1y ago
For me it's about being able to build a mental model of the relationship between the forecast and the feeling so when I look at a forecast for the future I have a better idea what that might actually feel like. The numbers alone aren't enough especially in places with microclimates and shade etc.
jmll 1y ago
If you walk or ride a bike, it reminds you to wear the right jacket (:
dwedge 1y ago
I live in a place where right now it's either 16C or 28C and looks the same in the morning. It's important for knowing what to wear

Kwpolska 1y ago

> Interestingly, GitHub Workflows don’t support timezones! This means that, if I want to sent a text every morning at 7am, when on BST (British Summer Time) I actually need to schedule it for 6am instead. Nothing a little kludge within the workflow can't solve... Set it up for 6am and 7am, check current time in London, skip sending the text if it's the wrong hour.

brycewray 1y ago
There's also a GitHub Action, `set-timezone`, that can be called in the workflow for that purpose: https://github.com/szenius/set-timezone https://github.com/szenius/set-timezone

cryptozeus 1y ago

Yahoo weather > settings > enable morning notifications , select time.

citizenpaul 1y ago

I tried to do this a few years ago and realized there is no reliable way to send myself an SMS without paying a not insignificant monthly fee somewhere. To the point where I might as well just pay for a service that already exists that does this and a lot more.

thaumasiotes 1y ago
I can send myself an SMS via Google Voice, which has never charged me anything.
- citizenpaul 1y ago
  Cool thanks I'll check it out.
billynomates 1y ago
I use the Telegram bot API to send myself the UV Index every morning, it's really simple to use and free

lormayna 1y ago

I don't know in USA, but in Europe you can subscribe a 1€/month SIM contract that allow you to send a large number of SMS or even get a prepaid SIM. Using an old phone, connected via USB to a Raspberry would be an alternative and you will not rely on any third party service.

szszrk 1y ago
That used to be the way to do that in 2G era. Multiple Nokia 6210 or similar connected via RS ports to servers. It was reliable, reasonably priced (SMS price was not great compared to today), allowed for around 12 or so texts a minute AFAIR. Some companies I know used to do that for downtime notifications to admins. Today I can get a card with unlimited text for around 3-4€ a month. Honestly pushover is better and cheaper.

donohoe 1y ago

I have this, both as a message and a web page bookmarked to my Homescreen. The big difference is it also tells me if it’s going to be colder/warmer than yesterday. That just helps me immediately know what to wear as I stumble through my morning.

browningstreet 1y ago

I use IFTTT to tell me when the weather in SF is going to be cloudy (better for hiking and running) or windy (there are certain outdoor adventures I'm less inclined to do when the wind exceeds 20 mph). I do wish I could just set those notifications locally.

clambakenow 1y ago

Why not use Brzzy Weather? Latest update includes a weather ai. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/brzzy-weather-ai-forecast/id6670187343 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/brzzy-weather-ai-forecast/id66...