diff --git a/Lighting.cpp b/Lighting.cpp
index 6aefd2c..9f857c0 100644
--- a/Lighting.cpp
+++ b/Lighting.cpp
@@ -42,21 +42,27 @@ float Lighting::getPaletteBrightness(){
 }
 
 void Lighting::updateRGB(int now) {
-	CRGB colour = ColorFromPalette(_sunrise, getPaletteHeatIndex(now), getPaletteBrightness(), LINEARBLEND);
+	byte heatIndex = getPaletteHeatIndex(now);
+	byte brightness = getPaletteBrightness();
+	if (heatIndex != _lastHeatIndex || brightness!=_lastBrightness) {
+		CRGB colour = ColorFromPalette(_sunrise, heatIndex, brightness, LINEARBLEND);
 
-	if (_weather->getCondition() == WeatherCondition::Thunder && millis() >= _nextLightningFlash) {
-		int flashes = random8(2, 8);
-		for (int i = 0; i < flashes; i++) {
-			FastLED.showColor(CRGB::White);
-			delay(random8(10, 20));
-			FastLED.showColor(colour);
-			delay(random8(40, 80));
+		if (_weather->getCondition() == WeatherCondition::Thunder && millis() >= _nextLightningFlash) {
+			int flashes = random8(2, 8);
+			for (int i = 0; i < flashes; i++) {
+				FastLED.showColor(CRGB::White);
+				delay(random8(10, 20));
+				FastLED.showColor(colour);
+				delay(random8(40, 80));
+			}
+			_nextLightningFlash = millis() + (random8(1, 60) * 1000);
 		}
-		_nextLightningFlash = millis() + (random8(1, 60) * 1000);
-	}
 
-	fill_solid(_leds, _ledCount, colour);
-	FastLED.show();
+		fill_solid(_leds, _ledCount, colour);
+		FastLED.show();
+	}
+	_lastHeatIndex = heatIndex;
+	_lastBrightness = brightness;
 }
 
 void Lighting::updateWhite(){
diff --git a/Lighting.h b/Lighting.h
index 9818948..4851a6a 100644
--- a/Lighting.h
+++ b/Lighting.h
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ class Lighting {
 	long _nextLightningFlash = 0;
 	float _heatIndex;
 	float _brightness;
+	byte _lastHeatIndex, _lastBrightness;
 
 	float _currentHeatIndex();
 	float getIndexMultiplier(int now, int startTime, int endTime, bool swap);
diff --git a/monitor.ino b/monitor.ino
index 51595ed..3652dc7 100644
--- a/monitor.ino
+++ b/monitor.ino
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
-
-#include <FastLED.h>
+#include<FastLED.h>
 #include <time.h>
 
 #include "Networking.h"
@@ -18,7 +17,7 @@
 
 #define RGB_PIN D3
 #define WHITE_PIN D2
-#define LED_COUNT 39
+#define LED_COUNT 41
 #define LATITUDE "20.548103"
 #define LONGITUDE "96.916835"
 #define TIMEZONE_OFFSET 30600 // 8.5 hours in seconds
@@ -65,10 +64,11 @@ void doLighting() {
 	}
 
 	EVERY_N_SECONDS(1) {
-		_lighting.update(time(nullptr));
 		publishFloat(LIGHT_INDEX_TOPIC, _lighting.getCurrentHeatIndex());
 		publishFloat(BRIGHTNESS_TOPIC, _lighting.getCurrentBrightness());
 	}
+
+	_lighting.update(time(nullptr));
 }
 
 void publishReadings(){