Today’s weather forecast for Fortnite? Tornadoes and lightning storms!
Looks like Fortnite’s island is having some weather trouble thanks to the game’s latest update bringing tornadoes and lightning storms to the battle royale. The weather effects will undoubtedly add a new layer of complexity to the game. This shouldn’t come as a surprise to many Fortnite account owners, considering it was already originally teased in the initial Fortnite Chapter 3 trailer. It’s almost ironic, given that Fortnite’s battle royale mode has always been about escape the storm – now the game’s asking you to run towards one. Besides the extreme weather, there are other things to be excited about in the v19.01 update, like a certain weapon that’s just got unvaulted.
The Flare Gun Makes A Comeback
There’s no need to head on over to the Fortnite Item Shop for this one. A Chapter 2 fan favorite of many, the Flare Gun makes a return to the battle royale! In case it’s not obvious to you, the weapon shoots, you guessed it, a flare. This is a useful weapon to set environments and buildings on fire. The Flare Guns are available from Chests, Supply Drops, and floor loot. Since it comes with just six bullets and has unique ammo that can’t be easily found, use it sparingly and choose your targets wisely. There’s no telling when Epic decides to vault this weapon again, so we highly recommend that you at least try the Flare Gun out at least once before Chapter 3: Season 1 ends.
How Weather Works in Fortnite
The weather, whether it’s a tornado or lightning, will form in Fortnite roughly for two minutes into the match when the storm starts descending on the island. Which type and where the weather appears is random, but both weather types will be visible from afar, making it easily visible for anyone. By doing so, you can choose between traveling towards the said weather to benefit from their effects or avoid it. If grey clouds are forming on the island, then the lightning storm is your weather for the match. Tornadoes, on the other hand, are much easier to detect since they look like, well, tornadoes. Both of these can also travel around the island, so stay sharp. If you don’t keep an eye on the sky, you may find yourself in the midst of a chaotic time!
Being Struck By Lightning
Lightning strikes can now rain down upon the island thanks to the addition of dynamic weather in Fortnite. The lightning strikes at regular intervals when you’re beneath or close to a thunderstorm. Similar to what happens in Breath of the Wild, sparks will appear on the section of the ground where it’ll land. If you absolutely don’t want to be a part of it, run! But if you want to be, stay right where you are. Being struck by lightning deals a small amount of damage – around 10 damage from your health, to be specific – or shield if you have any. The surrounding area will be set on fire during this time, and you’ll be granted a speed boost. If you want to be deliberately struck (you masochist, you), head to any body of water beneath the storm or look for the highest point of ground under the cloud.
Swirl Inside A Tornado
Tornadoes in Fortnite pick up all sorts of things from the map – fallen trees, cars, and anything else that crosses their path as they travel along. Of course, this includes you. Compared to a lightning storm, getting involved with a tornado is much safer (this, unfortunately, doesn’t apply in real life); you’ll simply get a free ride without taking any damage! You can glide through the cyclone and even go into the eye of the storm, although there’s not much to see there. When you think it’s your cue to leave, just safely fly out of its path until you reach the ground.
Final Remarks
Keep in mind that if you’re a competitive player, the storms and tornadoes are disabled for competitive matchmaking, while the Flare Guns are still going through an evaluation period. It’s a bummer, but at the same time, understandable that Epic wouldn’t include these weather effects in their “ranked mode” of the game. If you ever want to know what it’s like to be inside a tornado or struck by lightning, just log into your Fortnite account and let the fun begin!
