Storms And Environmental Hazards
Storms will appear in varying degrees of severity. This can be from a light rain shower, to almost the entire map flooding under an epic rainfall.
The biggest dangers in Storms is Tornadoes, Fog, Lightning, Flooding, and Stress to your Comfort. There is a Weather Talent that decreases how much Stress you get from storms, and a full 3/3 in that Talent makes you immune to Lightning (But if you are near a herd/pack mate that does not have 3/3 in Weather Resistance, and you are near them when they get hit by lightning, you can get hit too and die regardless of your own talents)
There is a Stat in game called Shelter State, which indicates how protected from the elements you are. Being up against a cliff can provide you with 25% shelter, for example, while being inside a cave gives you a full 100%. Only 100% shelter protects you from Tornadoes, making caves a desirable choice during really bad storms. This brings in a secondary danger…the potential of running into a predator in the confines of the cave.
Apatosaurus can provide weather protection to nearby allies. and there is a Talent they can invest in that will allow them to provide more shelter state to allies. A full 3/3 makes allies near them non-target-able by Tornadoes, but does not stop them from being picked up if a Tornado wanders their way. Apatosaurus are immune to Tornadoes after 0.8 growth, out of gameplay balance since they no longer can fit into caves or outrun a approaching Tornado.
Flooding means a Aquatic predator can get inland access they do not usually have, though they run the risk of beaching themselves far inland if the flood recedes while they’re still in there. This is an additional danger during a severe storm.
Multiple Tornadoes can spawn in rare circumstances, the most I have seen is 3 at once. Tornadoes will target a player and attempt to reach them, and the larger the group is, the more enticing a target. Only 100% shelter can prevent you from being targeted by a Tornado, and prevent you from being picked up by one. as mentioned earlier in this section. It is quite advisable to seek shelter during severe storms.
After a storm comes Fog, which makes it hard to see and scent anything around you. This is another hazard, and one I often find even more deadly than the storm itself, since you risk starvation if you are low on food after hiding from the storm and then cannot smell out any food.