Windflare

"Holy..."

—JD Fenix, after seeing a Windflare up close

A Windflare forms outside Fort Reval.

Windflares were extreme weather phenomena that began appearing on Sera in the post-Locust War era and the complete eradication of the planets primary fuel resource, Imulsion. It was unknown what caused windflares to form; the Coalition of Ordered Governments had attempted on multiple occasions to link them to various natural events, such as increased solar activity, only for these explanations to later be debunked.

Overview

A single Windflare consisted of a massive, violently rotating vortex of air that formed rapidly and with little warning. Within the vortex, large amounts of electricity built up until it was discharged in the form of lightning bolts or continuous, roving arcs. Windflares were highly dangerous as the wind speeds they produced were high enough to fling boats and break apart wooden structures, and the electrical strikes were powerful enough to take out chunks of brick buildings and vaporize people. Windflares had four different categories.

With the onset of a Windflare, it was necessary to take shelter as quickly as possible to avoid its worst effects. COG Settlements featured Windwalls that enclosed around them during Windflares, and helped to block and dissipate the winds. In the event that a Windwall failed, COG citizens could seek out one of a settlement's several emergency shelters.

Windflares also combined with regional climates to cause unique, devastating effects. In the frigid, northern climate of Kadar Valley, Windflares hurled large blocks of ice from the skies. In the crimson deserts of Vasgar, Windflare lighting that struck the sand would flash-melt it and produce irregular pillars of dark glass.

Appearances

• Gears of War 4 (First appearance)
• Gears 5