Helldivers 2 planetary conditions, weather effects, and hazards, explained

✓ At a glance

• Planetary conditions are modifiers that affect planets in Helldivers 2 with special effects that can hamper your missions.
• There are currently 12 different hazards that can occur on planets: Acid Storms, Blizzards, Extreme Cold, Fire Tornadoes, Intense Heat, Ion Storms, Meteor Swarms, Rainstorms, Sandstorms, Thick Fog, Tremors, and Volcanic Activity.

As if bugs and killer bots weren’t enough of a threat in Helldivers 2, we also have to worry about horrible weather conditions. They add an extra layer of difficulty, with sometimes random and sometimes constant effects. You need to plan around these planetary hazards, as some of them can slow you down or even ruin your missions. And the best way to combat them is to be familiar with what they are and what they do.

What are planetary conditions and hazards?

You can see these effects before embarking on a mission by checking the Galactic War map from your ship. Hover the cursor over a planet and check the conditions in the bottom right corner to see the Effects tab. This will show you the Environmental Conditions on that planet, so you can plan around them before committing to the dive.

The effects of planetary conditions can vary but are usually tied between planet types, with some shared by others. They range from mostly benign rains, all the way to meteor storms and volcanoes, with new conditions being added in new patches. For example, Intense Heat was available from launch, while Blizzards were added later on.

All weather effects in Helldivers 2

There are currently 12 different hazards you can encounter on planets in the game. They carry a range of effects and typically spawn on specific planet types, though that’s not always guaranteed. These are all of the current planetary conditions in the game:

• Acid Storms (random)
• Blizzards (random)
• Extreme Cold (constant)
• Fire Tornadoes (random)
• Intense Heat (constant)
• Ion Storms (random)
• Meteor Swarms (random)
• Rainstorms (constant)
• Sandstorms (random)
• Thick Fog (constant)
• Tremors (random)
• Volcanic Activity (random)

Acid Storms

At first, Acid Storms were nothing more than a visibility hazard, filling the screen with a sickly-green miasma that reduced your view range, similar to rain. However, with the Escalation of Freedom update, Acid Storms have the added effect of lowering the armour value of both players and enemies. You can use them tactically to take down armoured foes with much less effort – but beware, they can do the same in return. These storms usually appear on planets paired with the Intense Heat modifier, as well as on the newly added Swamp planets.

Blizzards

Blizzards, as you would expect, appear on snowy and icy planets. When they activate, Blizzards have a dual effect of both severely lowering your visibility, as well as slowing you down. It is crucial to check your minimap to get notified of enemy patrols during a Blizzard, otherwise you may walk right into one. 

Extreme Cold

Extreme Cold is often paired up with Blizzards, as well as appearing on planets covered in ice and snow too. This effect creates smaller fog clouds that aren’t as thick as the above effect. However, the main effect of Extreme Cold is that it slows down the fire rate of your automatic guns, such as assault rifles. Meanwhile, it buffs energy weapons like the Sickle by making them take longer to overheat.

Fire Tornadoes

This scary-looking hazard appears on warm and dry planets, most often those affected by Intense Heat too. It appears just as it sounds, with twisting fires appearing and moving over the terrain while leaving a fiery trail behind them. If you touch any of it, you will be engulfed in flames, losing health and getting the Burning debuff. You’ll have to use Stim to remove the DoT effect. 

Intense Heat

Intense Heat modifier is fairly common, especially in arid, dry, and desert planets. It is always followed with an orange tint to the screen, signifying the unbearable temperature. The effect of this hazard is that your Stamina is going to deplete faster whenever you use it. In addition, your energy weapons will overheat faster than usual.

Ion Storms

Veteran Helldivers will know this effect very well. It was frustratingly present during the offensives against Automatons. Ion Storms can jam your ability to call down Stratagems while active. They usually appear sporadically and cover a wide area of the map and can severely impact your ability to fight or complete missions.

Meteor Swarms

As you’d imagine, Meteor Swarms are dangerous and deadly when they happen and you’re caught out in the open. This phenomenon normally appears on planets that lack a distinctive atmosphere and on various satellites. You will clearly see meteors raining on the planet’s surface, so make sure to look for cover until it passes. It usually takes around a minute before it stops. If a meteor hits players or enemies, it will knock them away and inflict a large amount of damage. 

Rainstorms

Rain is a mostly benign effect in Helldivers 2, especially compared to some of the other ones we’ve described. The worst it can do is somewhat lower visibility due to the downpour, but even that is not to the level of some other effects. The patter of drops can also make it harder to hear enemies, but again, not by too much. It usually appears on lush, green planets.

Sandstorms

Sandstorms appear on hot, dry, dusty planets. In effect, they’re quite similar to Blizzards, severely reducing visibility and movement speed. The same applies with Sandstorms, then – try to keep close to your party and be careful not to run into enemy patrols by accident. 

Thick Fog

Thick Fog can be a stand-alone effect or accompany others in a way, like Rainstorms and Blizzards. It can appear on any planet other than dry ones. As you’d expect, it impairs your visibility and makes it harder to see the terrain, enemies, friends, and pretty much anything else except for a few meters ahead.

Tremors

As the name implies, Tremors are small localized earthquakes that last for a few seconds. Anyone caught in them will be severely slowed down until it passes. They can appear on any planet, but are most often paired with Intense Heat and Volcanic Activity. While their effect is debilitating, they only last for a short while and affect enemies too. Besides, you’re able to dive away to safety if caught in a pinch.

Volcanic Activity

Erupting volcanoes are no laughing matter, and that goes for ones in Helldivers too. If you see plumes of smoke on the hot planet you landed on, then you can be sure that the Volcanic Activity hazard is active. When a volcano erupts, it sends molten rocks into the air, one-shotting anyone they land on. The area around the volcano and where its discharge hits becomes scorched, which applies a burning debuff on you. Obviously, try to avoid them as much as possible. The silver lining is that it affects the enemies as much as your party.