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Fortnite gets tornadoes and lightning storms in today's update

Natural disasters come to Battle Royale in the latest Fortnite update.

Donovan Erskine

January 11, 2022 7:45 AM

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Fortnite players have come to expect a constant flow of new content and changes as Epic Games continues to tweak the battle royale experience. Fortnite’s latest major update has arrived, and introduces a brand new mechanic - natural disasters. During matches, players may encounter massive tornadoes and shocking lightning storms.

Epic Games detailed the new extreme weather effects coming to Fortnite in a post to the game’s official website. As of the latest patch, both tornadoes and lightning storms are live in the game. Tornadoes slowly move around the map, picking up every object in its path and sending them flying high in the sky. Players can run directly into a tornado as a means of re-deploying and safely repositioning around the map. Longtime players may see some similarities to the tornado-like storm that ravaged Loot Lake a few years ago.

You’ll know when a lightning storm is about to begin when you spot dark clouds gathering in the skies above an area. Once formed, bolts of lightning will strike the ground beneath, setting structures on fire and dealing light damage to players. If a player is directly hit by lightning, they’ll also receive a temporary speed boost. You can increase your chances of being struck by sitting in a body of water or getting to high ground.

The new natural disasters in Fortnite are random and aren’t guaranteed to happen every match. In fact, it’s likely that you won’t see a tornado and lightning storm every game you play. However, Epic Games has deemed the next week to be “Tornado Week,” with an increased frequency of natural disasters.

As a part of the new update, Epic Games has also unvaulted the Flare Gun, which players can find in Chests, on the ground, and in Supply Drops. For more on the latest Fortnite additions, Shacknews has you covered.

Donovan Erskine

News Editor

Donovan is a journalist from Maryland. His oldest gaming memory is playing Pajama Sam on his mom's desktop during weekends. Pokémon Emerald, Halo 2, and the original Star Wars Battlefront 2 were some of the most influential titles in awakening his love for video games. After interning for Shacknews throughout college, Donovan graduated from Bowie State University in 2020 with a major in broadcast journalism and joined the team full-time. He is a huge film fanatic and will talk with you about movies and games all day. You can follow him on twitter @Donimals_