Ozark, Nixa weather (St. Louis, Springfield, Branson: home, to live in, moving)

[bbwindy]

Hi everyone. We're planning a move to Ozark or Nixa in a few months but I need to get some info first. I have COPD/Emphysema and wondered if the humidity would get so bad I would have a problem. I know you're not doctors, but has anyone experienced the humidity in a worse-than-normal way and if so, how do you cope with it ? I grew up in Ohio and Michigan so know that the humidity can be really bad but have been gone from there for nearly fifty years. Thanks for any info.

[mrschilicook]

I'm from California and Las Vegas and find that the humidity here isn't nearly as bad as other places in the U.S. Yes, it does get humid, but it doesn't last day in and day out like further south. My friend in Chicago thinks that there humidity is worse than here but I can't speak from personal experience. Don't know if this helps or not since I can't speak to the breathing issue with humidity.

And Welcome to the area....come join us for coffee at one of the OTFCC meets...we're a friendly group and most of us are from somewhere else originally (like California mostly it seems).

[bbwindy]

Thanks, Mrschilicook, for the info. Glad to hear it's not as bad as previously reported to me. And thanks for the invitation.

[johninvegas]

Hi there BBwindy!

I now live in Las Vegas but used to live in Springfield for about 16 years prior to moving away. While the humidity is bad in the summer months, I found that St. Louis was much worse (probably due to the Mississippi). If you've lived in the desert or other dry areas for the last 50-odd years, you will difinitely feel the humidity, at least for a while. My suggestion would be to take a weeklong trip to Springfield/Branson during either July or August. Those are the two hottest months and with all the rain the Ozarks have been getting this year, it will probably be as bad as it gets.

[ben-ello]

Hello. I remember reading somewhere that Springfield, MO was number one on a list of cities with the wackiest weather. From personal experience, nothing could be closer to the truth. The area is known for sudden weather shifts and turbulent weather. I live in Ozark, and one week during January, the temperature dropped below zero degrees early in the week, and towards the end of the week the temperature climbed to 60. This is just one example of the strange weather in the Ozarks. Also, a big difference in daily high and low temperatures is common, especially in the spring and fall.
I will say that Missouri springs and falls are absolutely beautiful. A characteristic of the Ozarks is that there are 4 very distinct seasons. Just to give you an idea of weather during the year, according to weather.com, here are averages for January, April, July, and October:
-Jan. - High 40, Low 20
-Apr. - High 66, Low 42
-July - High 87, Low 65
-Oct. - High 69, Low 44
Climate, of course, is relative. I come from Iowa originally, and to me, winters in the Ozarks are mild in comparison. Here, blizzards are very uncommon and the temperature never drops very far below zero. We also have a lot of warm days in the winter. However, we do get ice storms in January and February most years.
Summer here is very hot to me. A few years ago, we had 90 days of 90 degrees. That's hot! To an Arizonian, this might be considered mild. However, that was just a hot summer, but the weather reaches close to 90 on most days.
In short, in the Ozarks, you will experience a little bit of everything, as far as weather is concerned. You need a heavy coat, but you also need summer clothes. Personally, I appreciate different kinds of weather, so I am right at home in the Ozarks.