The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Thursday issued a nowcast warning for severe thunderstorms, lightning and hail across several parts of Punjab, signalling a sudden shift in weather after more than a week of intense heatwave conditions.According to tehsil-level forecasts issued by the Meteorological Centre, thunderstorms accompanied by strong winds and hail are likely to affect multiple districts, with wind speeds ranging from 30 kmph to 80 kmph.IMD nowcast warning for PunjabCategoryWeather ConditionsWind SpeedSevere ThunderstormThunderstorm with lightning and hail60-80 kmphModerate ThunderstormThunderstorm with lightning40-60 kmphLight ThunderstormThunderstorm with lightning30-40 kmphAreas under severe thunderstorm alert (60-80 kmph)Sardulgarh, Budhlada, Mansa, Jattvibeam, Sangrur, Barnala, Tapa, Talwandi Sabo, Malout, Bathinda, Gidderbaha, Rampura Phul, Jaitu, Muktsar, Bagha Purana, Faridkot, Nihal Singhwala, Baba Bakala, Amritsar-I, Amritsar-II, Batala, Ajnala, Dera Baba Nanak, Gurdaspur and Pathankot.Areas under moderate thunderstorm alert (40-60 kmph)Sardulgarh, Budhlada, Lehra, Mansa, Jattvibeam, Sangrur, Barnala, Tapa, Dhuri, Malerkotla, Moonak, Abohar, Malout, Bathinda, Gidderbaha, Fazilka, Rampura Phul, Jaitu, Muktsar, Jalalabad, Bagha Purana, Faridkot, Moga, Ferozepur, Zira, Shahkot, Patti, Sultanpur Lodhi, Tarn Taran, Khadur Sahib, Nihal Singhwala, Raikot, Jagraon, Kapurthala, Jalandhar-II, Baba Bakala, Amritsar-I, Amritsar-II, Batala, Ajnala, Bhulath, Dasuya, Mukerian, Gurdaspur, Pathankot and Dhar Kalan.Areas under light thunderstorm alert (30-40 kmph)Lehra, Jattvibeam, Sangrur, Dhuri, Malerkotla, Moonak, Patran, Samana, Patiala, Nabha, Amloh, Payal, Ludhiana East, Moga, Ferozepur, Zira, Shahkot, Patti, Sultanpur Lodhi, Tarn Taran, Raikot, Jagraon, Ludhiana West, Phillaur, Nakodar, Phagwara, Jalandhar-I, Kapurthala, Jalandhar-II, Nawanshahr, Garhshankar, Hoshiarpur, Dasuya, Mukerian and Dhar Kalan.The warning comes as Punjab continues to reel under a severe heatwave, with temperatures hovering around 40°C in many places for over a week.A nowcast alert is a short-term weather forecast issued to warn people about sudden and potentially hazardous weather developments, allowing authorities and residents to take timely precautions.