What if a storm worse than Typhoon Cobra struck at the start of the Battle of Denmark Strait, before Hood had been hit?
Short answerThe gunfight stops because neither side can maintain a solution, leaving the outcome to maneuver and interception after the storm.
NotesEven radar contact cannot compensate for violent motion that destroys stable gunnery solutions. Both sides would have to stop treating the encounter as a gun action and concentrate on keeping their ships safe in extreme seas. The storm gives the German squadron an opportunity to change course or retreat while visual observation is lost. Continuing the breakout afterward remains dangerous because additional British forces are already converging beyond the Denmark Strait.