Fortnite Tornado Week gives players a new way to fly

Severe weather is a no-brainer for battle royale games, and the forecast is quite dangerous for Fortnite. Tornado Week has begun, and it brings wind and lightning to the island.

Tornado Week marks the arrival of Fortnite’s January 11 hotfix. As the name says, the highlight of this update is the tornado, which can touch down at any time during a game. You don’t need to run away from it, though — jump inside to swirl around in the air. You can exit anytime to glide to another point on the island or wait until the tornado spits you out on its own. You won’t take any fall damage from the latter.

Storm clouds may also form, sending lightning arching down to the ground below. Lightning will light the surrounding area on fire and do a bit of damage if it strikes you, but the shock will also give you a temporary speed boost. Just like real lightning, it’s affected by elevation and water, so you can increase your chances of getting zapped by climbing to a higher elevation or heading to a body of water — Motorboats ought to come in handy.

These weather conditions are permanent additions to the game, but during Tornado Week (which runs through 9 AM ET on January 17), you’ll see them much more frequently. They appear in all non-competitive playlists. You won’t see the Flare Gun in competitive playlists either, but the weapon has also been unvaulted as part of the hotfix. The Flare Gun appears in Chests, in Supply Drops, and on the ground.