Ahmedabad: Gujarat’s veteran weather forecaster Ambalal Patel, who has been issuing weather predictions for decades, has made a significant announcement. In a video message shared with the media, Patel said, “Don’t come to me for weather predictions,” indicating that he has decided to step away from making weather forecasts.

Patel, who is widely known in Gujarat for forecasting weather based on traditional astronomical indicators and natural observations, said he has decided to stop making weather predictions from today. According to him, the decision follows criticism and an alleged threat from Jayant Pandya of Vigyan Jatha, who questioned the scientific basis of his forecasts.

For decades, Patel has been a familiar name among farmers and the general public for his forecasts on the monsoon, cyclones, winter and summer conditions. His predictions, often circulated through television channels and social media, have attracted a large following across the state.

Born on September 1, 1947, in Rudatal village of Ahmedabad district, Patel comes from a farming family. He completed his B.Sc. in Agriculture from the College of Agriculture in Anand and joined the Gujarat government in 1972 as a Seed Agriculture Supervisor at the Seed Certification Agency in Ahmedabad. During his career, he also served as an Assistant Director of Agriculture and worked in quality control and soil testing divisions before retiring in September 2005.

Patel has said his interest in weather forecasting grew through his interactions with farmers. While discussing crops and rainfall, he felt that advanced weather information could help farmers make better decisions. He subsequently began studying traditional texts, including Varahi Samhita and other works related to rainfall forecasting, and combined those with his agricultural knowledge.

The controversy arose after Jayant Pandya questioned Patel’s forecasting methods, arguing that weather prediction is a scientific discipline that should rely on satellite imagery, radar systems, and data analysed by official agencies such as the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Pandya reportedly said long-range forecasts based on traditional methods or planetary positions without scientific validation could mislead the public.

Responding to the criticism, Patel said he has never promoted superstition and has always worked in the interest of farmers. He maintained that his forecasts are not based solely on astrology or planetary positions but also take into account weather systems developing over the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, along with his understanding of agricultural meteorology. DeshGujarat