Should I move to Missouri? (Kansas City, St. Louis: crimes, home, neighborhoods)

[Hillman]

First night here had a tornado come throgh.I woke my wife up she says go back to Bed if its going to get you it will

Had a few go through since.Had an F3 headed our way.Got in our Closet and Prayed.Well just before it got to us it killed two people.Split up,went around us,regrouped and killed a man on past us.

Tornados hit small area might run for miles and yes they can do major damage.I think Ice Storms we've been having has done just as much damage over a much Larger area.

hillman

[ozarksboy]

Originally Posted by LoveJesus

We live in Colorado and are thinking of moving to Missouri in 4 years after we get 20 years retirement here. I would work as a Substitute teacher and my husband would try to get an Instructor job at a Community College. What we are the most interested in is the much cheaper housing. Also, we don't like the dryness of Colorado and want to move to where there are more lakes and rivers. Tornadoes scare me the most when I think of moving to Missouri. Does the south end of the state get the most tornadoes?
Thank you.

If you're just wanting to move here because housing is cheap, I'd encourage you to go somewhere else. Especially if you're wanting to move near a lake or stream. That means you're going to have to live in outstate Missouri. Listen, the state has a lot to offer, and it's a great place to live, but it also LACKS a lot of what long-time residents like myself don't need and out-of-staters are accustomed to and complain if they don't have it.

For instance, my town, Rolla, does not have a mall, an Olive Garden, a Starbucks or a Target. I get along perfectly well without any of these "necessities," but I've heard newcomers rhapsodize about how they miss "home" because Rolla doesn't have one or more of these items.

If you live in Missouri, but do not consider it your home, I say this: "Leave. Please."

Originally Posted by onjicamnden

My husband and I are also considering a move to S.W. Missouri, we live around Chattanooga Tn. We used to live in Colorado Springs though so I know what you mean about the dryness. I am a bit worried myself about the humidity, for I have read a few comments about it being unbearable. I would think that would mean the place would be very green though. Right? Yea, I agree with you on bieng afraid of the tonadoes, expecially with this most recent ordeal (the little girl getting killed by one). How sad.

I have lived Missouri 55 years and none of the houses I lived in were struck by a tornado. Do you think tornadoes occur all the time and chase you down and grab you?

I would also encourage you to think about moving elsewhere, maybe to Arkansas. What in the world is wrong with Tennessee? I hear it's beautiful there.

[misplaced1]

Ozarks,
It sure seemed to me when I was living in Missouri that the news media might want everyone to think that. It seemed like during Tornado season it was all over the news over and over again.

Oh and sorry, Missouri is too pretty you can't keep it all to yourself.

[STLCardsBlues1989]

We've had 2 tornadoes in the area in 10 years (actually, 2 years apart, same month and day). Neither tornado killed anybody. A few houses were destroyed. Mostly the tornado followed along the highway.

I'm not extremely concerned about them. Actually, the recent power outage was probably worse. Some people were out of power for a week. Some are still out of power. No heat, no water, no phone. That can kill you also, especially if you're elderly.

[MUTGR]

Originally Posted by onjicamnden

My husband and I are also considering a move to S.W. Missouri, we live around Chattanooga Tn. We used to live in Colorado Springs though so I know what you mean about the dryness. I am a bit worried myself about the humidity, for I have read a few comments about it being unbearable. I would think that would mean the place would be very green though. Right? Yea, I agree with you on bieng afraid of the tonadoes, expecially with this most recent ordeal (the little girl getting killed by one). How sad.

Well, I live in St. Louis, and I met a father of a boy who joined my son's soccer team after moving here from Knoxville, Tennessee, and he was absolutely shocked at how hot and humid it was in St. Louis in August. Personally, I don't mind it at all.

Originally Posted by misplaced1

Tornado's scare the heck out of me! My family used to drive me nuts because if the alarm went off I would be the only one to wake up and then I had to fight and argue to get them into the basement. One husband and two teen boys, talk about stubborn. I guess those more used to the sirens and such might be less freaked out by it all.

I've been through a total loss house fire and to see your belongings and home you thought a safe place totally destroyed is a tough thing to do, not to mention if you did have to fear for your life as in a Tornado. I was lucky in the fire, I heard it burning in the walls and attic and everyone was awake so we were all safe and got out ok.

I used to be arrogant about tornado warnings, but having kids changed all that. Now we go to the basement if there is a warning or if things just look bad. Don't want to mess around.

[STLCardsBlues1989]

Originally Posted by MUTGR

Well, I live in St. Louis, and I met a father of a boy who joined my son's soccer team after moving here from Knoxville, Tennessee, and he was absolutely shocked at how hot and humid it was in St. Louis in August. Personally, I don't mind it at all.

The humidity can be bad. I'm kinda used to it.

My pastor from Alabama says the humidity here is not as bad as it was in Alabama.

[Silvermouse]

Originally Posted by ozarksboy

Listen, the state has a lot to offer, and it's a great place to live, but it also LACKS a lot of what long-time residents like myself don't need and out-of-staters are accustomed to and complain if they don't have it.

I think I'm going to put this on a T-shirt.

[Cali BassMan]

This just in from the National Weather Service:
Missouri to become Tornado Alley

With the massive migration of people moving to Missouri from both coasts, Missouri is expected to become the next Tornado Alley. A phenomenon called Karst Earth has the State of Missouri sinking under the enourmous weight of it's massive immigration. An area from the small town of Noel in the SouthWest to to Tyler in the Bootheal then following the river North to Chambersberg and west to Watson have been losing elevation for several years. The resent completed satellite imagery from the Institute for Tornado Studies show that the bowl effect will cause the vast majority of Tornado's to hit the U.S to be within Missouri. There are an estimated 2000 tornados annually in the U.S..
The one area of Missouri that will likely be unaffected is the thriving Metroplis of Rolla, It seems that Rolla in an effort to be progressive has layed asphalt all over the entire county which has been proven to hold the weight from the massive immigration.
The States of Texas and Oklahoma, now Tornado free are launching a "We love Californians" campain with a media blitz all over the west coast to attract millionaire immigrants to thier lovely states....

[linicx]

Tornados form in the Gulf, tramp through Texas, visit a terrible punishment on OKC. follow i-40 to I-44 East, kiss Tulsa and continue to the MO border. Usually at this point it will go north into Joplin on bus 71 and and veer off to the Lake of the Ozarks, or it will follow US 60 and spank south Sprinfield. Sometimes is veers north to Kansas and sometimes it follows 1-44.

The last one in that area fattened Pierce City. I don't remember if it was the one before it, or atter it, that nearly destroyed a small town in Kansas that is near the MO border. I don't recall that any hit North or East Springfield in the last 25 years or so. Tornados get their engergy from water and they seek a path of lest ressistence which is why they follow Interstate and US highways. The only lake in Sprinfield, I believe is south of the city - and so is the James River. The town of Ozark has river, too and so does Nixa. I suspect the farther east in Springfield one lives is better. But I could be wrong. I lived west on US 60 and got caught in straight line winds. I believe a tornados less deadly than the winds that follow it.

[ozarksboy]

Originally Posted by ozarksboy

I have lived Missouri 55 years and none of the houses I lived in were struck by a tornado. Do you think tornadoes occur all the time and chase you down and grab you?

Yes, I'm quoting my own earlier post, because I believe I was too flippant and did not address the seriousness of tornadoes adequately. Tornadoes should be a MAJOR concern to anyone moving here from another state. I think they're worse than hurricanes because they occur more frequently and they can occur without warning, contrary to my flippant statement above. We've had devastating tornadoes in Phelps County, particularly in St. James.

So, if you're concerned about tornadoes, you should be. People like me who have lived here a long time can become insensitive to the danger. And we're wrong to do so.

In fact, the weather poses other dangers that you should consider. I wrote about that in a post on another thread and I encourage you to click here and read it.

Good luck.


Ozarks Boy