Summary (tl;dr)

Multiple regions across the globe are currently under or have recently experienced severe thunderstorm warnings, indicating a period of heightened and dangerous weather activity with significant risks to communities and infrastructure.

Essential Background

Severe thunderstorms are a common meteorological phenomenon characterized by dangerous winds, large hail, and sometimes tornadoes or flash flooding. Historically, a "severe thunderstorm warning" is issued by weather services when a storm is either observed or detected by radar to be producing winds of at least 58 mph (93 km/h) or hail at least one inch (2.5 cm) in diameter. In recent years, the National Weather Service in the United States has introduced "damage threat" tags—base, considerable, and destructive—to more clearly communicate the potential impact of these storms. Only "destructive" severe thunderstorm warnings, which involve baseball-sized hail (2.75 inches or 7 cm) or winds of 80 mph (129 km/h) or stronger, trigger Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) on smartphones due to their life-threatening potential, though such extreme events represent only about 10% of all severe thunderstorms nationwide. The frequency and intensity of severe weather events are also being increasingly linked to broader climate change patterns.

The Full Story

As of today, November 18, 2025, severe thunderstorm warnings are actively impacting several areas worldwide. In Australia, the Peninsula Forecast District in Queensland is under a severe thunderstorm warning, with heavy rainfall likely to cause flash flooding. This follows a significant outbreak of severe thunderstorms across eastern and northern Australia, including widespread parts of Queensland and New South Wales, on November 15th, which brought damaging winds, heavy rainfall, and large to potentially giant hailstones (5 cm or greater).

In the United States, multiple counties in Central and East Central Illinois are currently under severe thunderstorm warnings, issued by the National Weather Service. These storms, detected by radar, are moving eastward and are expected to produce wind gusts up to 60 mph and hail ranging from quarter-sized to half-dollar sized, affecting over 130,000 residents and potentially causing damage to vehicles and property.

Earlier in the week, from November 14-17, a destructive storm battered the Goldfields area of the Free State in South Africa, unleashing heavy hail, gale-force winds, and torrential rain, resulting in extensive property damage and widespread flooding, notably in Welkom and Hani Park. Additionally, Greece's northeastern Aegean islands, including Lesvos and Samos, experienced significant damage earlier in November from severe storms that brought heavy rainfall and hailstorms, leading to flooded homes, damaged roads, and destroyed olive crops. The United Kingdom is also preparing for severe weather, with yellow and amber warnings in place for the coming days, indicating potential disruptions.

Why It Matters

The current surge in "severe thunderstorm warnings" underscores an urgent and present danger to communities globally. These warnings are critical alerts designed to prompt immediate action, as severe thunderstorms can inflict substantial damage to homes, vehicles, and infrastructure, lead to power outages, and cause dangerous flash flooding. The escalating occurrence of such extreme weather events globally highlights the growing challenges posed by climate change, necessitating increased public awareness, robust emergency preparedness, and resilient infrastructure to mitigate risks. Ignoring these warnings can have life-threatening consequences, emphasizing the importance for residents in affected areas to stay informed and seek shelter.

Geographic Location

• Peninsula Forecast District, Queensland, Australia (heavy rainfall and flash flooding)
• Central Tablelands, Queensland, Australia (damaging wind gusts, heavy rainfall, large/giant hailstones, destructive winds)
• Southeast Coast, Queensland, Australia (damaging wind gusts, heavy rainfall, large/giant hailstones, destructive winds)
• Darling Downs Granite Belt region, Queensland, Australia (damaging wind gusts, heavy rainfall, large/giant hailstones, destructive winds)
• New South Wales, Australia (severe thunderstorms)
• Coles County, Illinois, United States (60 mph wind gusts, quarter-size hail)
• Edgar County, Illinois, United States (60 mph wind gusts, quarter-size hail)
• Clark County, Illinois, United States (60 mph wind gusts, quarter-size hail, half-dollar sized hail)
• Cumberland County, Illinois, United States (60 mph wind gusts, quarter-size hail, half-dollar sized hail)
• Douglas County, Illinois, United States (60 mph wind gusts, quarter-size hail)
• Moultrie County, Illinois, United States (quarter-sized hail)
• Piatt County, Illinois, United States (quarter-sized hail)
• Champaign County, Illinois, United States (quarter-sized hail)
• Macon County, Illinois, United States (quarter-sized hail)
• Crawford County, Illinois, United States (half-dollar sized hail)
• Jasper County, Illinois, United States (half-dollar sized hail)
• Effingham, Effingham County, Illinois, United States (severe thunderstorm warnings)
• Decatur, Macon County, Illinois, United States (severe thunderstorm over the city)
• Hidalgo, Jasper County, Illinois, United States (severe thunderstorm near the town)
• Goldfields area, Free State, South Africa (heavy hail, gale-force winds, electrical storms, torrential rain, property damage, flooding)
• Welkom, Lejweleputswa District, Free State, South Africa (flooding due to collapsed stormwater drainage system)
• Hani Park, Bronville, Lejweleputswa District, Free State, South Africa (severe flooding)
• Lesvos Island, North Aegean, Greece (heavy rainfall, hailstorms, flooding, damage to homes, businesses, crops)
• Kalloni, Lesvos Island, North Aegean, Greece (streets, houses, shops submerged after river overflowed)
• Samos Island, North Aegean, Greece (torrential rain, hailstones, flooded homes, damaged roads, destroyed olive crops)
• United Kingdom (yellow and amber severe weather warnings)