When planning missions in Helldivers 2, most think about what Stratagems to take. But there are more elements to consider. The weather, for one, can affect mission success. Here are all the Planetary Conditions and weather of Helldivers 2 explained with their symbols.
There are twelve Planetary Conditions and weather hazards to deal with in Helldivers 2. About half of which were added by developer Arrowhead Games via patches. Fire Tornadoes and Blizzards weren’t available in the base game, for example. No, those blazing twisters came with the game’s first balance patch — it’s the gift that keeps on giving!
All Planetary Conditions and weather effects in Helldivers 2 – Explained
You can view all the Planetary Conditions in Helldivers 2 before committing to a dive. Open up the Galactic War map that sits on the Bridge of your Super Destroyer ship. Hover the cursor over a planet and hold the button or key shown at the bottom right to open up the ‘Effects’ tab (it’s R2 on the PlayStation 5). You can hold the same button while in low orbit around the planet as well. Doing so will show you the ‘Environmental Conditions’ of a planet, along with the symbol and some brief details.
You’ll find all the Planetary Conditions and weather, their symbols, and effects in Helldivers 2 below, along with when they were introduced to the game.
| Symbol | Name | In-game Description | Details and Strats | Inclusion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Rainstorms | Torrential rainstorms reduce visibility. | Visibility is lowered slightly, so gameplay shouldn’t change much. | Available at launch. |
 | Thick Fog | Dense fog lightly reduces visibility for both enemy and friendly units. | Fog prevents you from seeing enemies at a distance, and they are typically unable to see you. Automatons may not care, though. Ideal for completing Objectives and running. | Available at launch. |
 | Ion Storms | Ion storms intermittently disable Stratagems. | Your Stratagems become temporarily unavailable, so avoid long battles when a storm rolls in. | Available at launch. |
 | Extreme Cold | Icy temperatures reduce rate of fire and delay heat buildup in weapons. | Take laser-based weapons that generate heat, such as the Sickle. The lower temperatures allow it to dish out more damage before overheating. | Available at launch. |
 | Acid Storms | Violent acid storms reduce visibility. | Similar to Rainstorms, but with sickly yellow-green fluid. Vision is hampered, but the acid doesn’t seem to cause any damage or other negative effects. It is paired with Intense Heat, typically. | Possibly at launch, but planets with this condition didn’t show up until after the conclusion of Operation Swift Disassembly. |
 | Intense Heat | High temperatures increase stamina drain and speed up heat buildup in weapons. | Consider taking light armor and ballistic weapons to avoid significant stamina drain and overheating. Use the Stamina Enhancement Booster to counteract the stamina drain. | Available at launch. |
 | Tremors | Frequent earthquakes stun players and enemies alike. | You shake, rattle, and roll, but it’s more annoying than anything. Hopefully, that’s all Tremors ever will be. But who knows? | Patch 01.000.100 (the Balance Patch) |
 | Volcanic Activity | Volcanos throw burning rocks around this planet. | Watch the skies for falling, burning rock. | Patch 01.000.100 (the Balance Patch) |
 | Fire Tornadoes | Planet is ravaged by deadly fire tornados. | Found on planets like Hellmire. Fire Tornadoes slowly sweep the surface, burning everything they touch. Learn more in our guide. | Patch 01.000.100 (the Balance Patch) |
 | Meteor Storms | Meteors impact the surface causing massive damage. | Meteors strike the surface. You can look up to see their trajectory and make adjustments to avoid the impact. The ground should also light up before a meteor strikes. They do explosion damage. | Patch 01.000.100 (the Balance Patch) |
 | Blizzards | Intense blizzards reduce mobility and moderately reduce visibility for both enemy and friendly units. | A white blanket of fog and snow keeps you from seeing enemies, and vice versa. Similar to Thick Fog, but your movement is hampered. The Muscle Enhancement or Stamina Enhancement Boosters may come in handy. | Patch 01.000.200 (Rebalance and Level Cap increase) |
 | Sandstorms | Dense sandstorms reduce mobility and greatly reduce visibility for both enemy and friendly units. | It’s similar to Blizzards, but with sand and dust. These are often paired with Intense Heat. Consider the same Boosters as above while using guerilla tactics on enemies. | Patch 01.000.200 (Rebalance and Level Cap increase) |
Arrowhead Games will likely keep adding more Planetary Conditions to Helldivers 2, so keep your eyes on the skies. Otherwise, you might get blown up by a falling meteor.
