Taking photos outside can give you great light. After time, you may realize that morning and early evening light is the best. They vividly reveal textures, shadows, and depth in warm tones.
Taking advantage of sudden weather changes can give you even better lighting. An approaching thunderstorm can be great for front or side-lit landscapes. An overcast sky provides great lighting for portraits. This is also a great time to play with your macro setting and take some close up photos of flowers. Snow and fog provide a great atmosphere for a monochromatic photo with a shot of color. A great example of this is a child in a simple outfit on a rainy day running after their bright red ball. Get creative and have fun. I know my kids would be thrilled to be allowed to run and dance in the rain while I photographed them!
If you are observant, you will notice that there is a difference between the lighting of the sunrise and sunset, besides the fact that they are on opposite sides of the earth. Early morning light is a cool golden color, whereas an hour before sunset can give you a strong, golden-orange light. Weather will always affect the quality and color of light. This is a great time to pull out your camera and experiment. You should also take time to notice the difference in light between the seasons. Summer offers a harsh, high midday sun whereas winter offers a sun angled low in the sky. The different seasons will give you a lot of variety of light to play with. 
I thought an experiment would be fun. Go outside and pick a subject that is easily accessible to you on a daily basis. Take a shot at sunrise, then midday, and again at sunset. Try a few different angles as well. Lay out your photos and notice the difference in your shots. Notice how the lighting added or took away from your shot.
Take this even further and spread this out over a month. Better yet, over a few seasons. You will learn a lot about light and be able to use all light has to offer and be well on your way to creating some magnificent photos!