Gujarat Agriculture Department babus and the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) might soon receive instant weather forecasts if the Anand Agriculture University’s (AAU) pilot project on instant weather forecast display is successful.

At present, four agriculture universities in Gujarat supply weather forecast details to the Gujarat Council of Agricultural Education and Research, which then forwards the data to the AAU advisory council. From the AAU’s advisory council, the weather forecast is diverted to the Department of Agriculture and other ministries.

Now, for the first time immediate detailed information on temperature, wind speed, bright sunshine hour, humidity and cumulative rain from the seven automated weather stations at AAU are being uploaded on the computerised display unit.

AAU Vice Chancellor Prof M C Varshenya said that if the project works, the system will be very instantaneous and to the point.

He added that the project will gradually increase its reach in the other districts with the help of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

“AAU has seven automated weather stations. We are directly diverting this data to the computerised display screen. In a phased manner, we will expand the project to Junagadh Agriculture University (JAU), which too has seven weather stations. This facility is not there even in the Meteorological Department.”

AAU’s Head of Meteorological Department Prof Vyas Pandey said: “AAU’s tie up with Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will serve as a support to our instant display unit. AAU has automated weather stations, and ISRO too has installed 43 automated weather stations across Gujarat in a tie-up with AAU. When our project on the instant display unit reaches its final stages; we can use the data from ISRO and JAU automated weather stations as well.”

... contd.