Apart from pirates another certainty at sea is recurring harsh weather. Storms have ravaged the Mediterrenean, the Baltic, the Indian Ocean and the Atlantic longer than anyone has dared to sail them. WIth the Pompey patch recurring storms can strike at sea (exactly during which part of the year varies depending on the sea in question but they are generally more common in the open sea than near land) and will impose a harsh attrition penalty on the affected sea zones for 2 months, before ebbing away. Storms will be clearly visible as animated rain, wind, clouds and lightning will cover the affected areas during this period.
(example of a storm haunting Northern Greece)
Desert Storms
The harsh effects of weather is not really unique to the sea. In the Pompey patch Desert areas will also run a risk of storms, manifesting themselves in great sandstorms visible in the desert cities themselves, potentially turning an already inhospitable route into a much more taxing affair.
In the parts of the map where snowfall exists the winter may now also bring snow storms, sometimes quite great in size, causing attrition to all units in an area. As with the other two storms Winter storms will be shown clearly on the map and will remain in place for 2 months.