GTA 6’s weather system revealed with hurricanes, tropical storms & dynamic wind

Rockstar has revealed new details about GTA 6’s weather system, confirming hurricanes, tropical storms, and localized rain that can leave one part of Leonida soaked while another stays sunny.

Following the initial confirmation of GTA 6’s advanced weather system, Game Informer’s latest coverage explains how Rockstar is recreating Florida’s unpredictable conditions.

That includes storms rolling across the map, puddles that remain after the rain stops, and wind that affects everything from characters’ hair to the water around them.

GTA 6 brings hurricanes and localized storms to Leonida

Speaking to Game Informer, Rockstar’s vice president of art for lighting and rendering, Owen Shepherd, explained that the studio has rebuilt its approach to weather.

“We have re-engineered our weather system to make everything much more localized and persistent, and really wanted the world to feel dynamically solid and achieve a sense of scale we haven’t felt before,” he said.

Rockstar/Game Informer

Dynamic clouds will move across Leonida, bringing everything from clear skies to towering storm clouds and lightning. Rain will also be localized, meaning players can stand in the sunshine while watching a nearby area get battered by a storm.

The effects will linger, too. Wet ground and persistent puddles will show where rain has recently fallen, even if players arrive after the clouds have moved on. Rainbows can also appear under the right lighting conditions.

Rockstar’s updated wind system accounts for offshore breezes after sunset, rising warm air, and buildings blocking the wind.

“Hair and debris will swirl around on roof-tops; gusts of wind will blow ripples over the water surface and bend the grass in swamps,” Shepherd explained.

Rockstar/Game Informer

Tropical storms and hurricanes will take things further, combining heavy clouds, powerful winds, downpours, thunder, and lightning. Shepherd described water gushing off roof edges and lampposts as the environment becomes drenched.

However, Rockstar hasn’t revealed how often these major storms occur or how they affect missions and the wider story.

The reveal follows years of speculation. An Amazon listing previously mentioned dynamic weather, while a 2023 report claimed GTA 6’s weather would affect driving and water physics.

Older Rockstar job listings also referenced large-scale destruction, although those listings did not establish that hurricanes would destroy buildings in GTA 6. The latest details confirm severe storms, with their full gameplay impact still under wraps.