retiring (Springfield, Rolla, Branson: home, tornado, earthquake)

[grammiex3boys]

Hi! Husband and I are thinking of moving to Branson or Warsaw area. I'm tired of the cold, snowy winters in South Dakota and he wants a longer fishing season. People have told me NOT to go to that area due to lots of ice storms, tornados and SNAKES! I abhor snakes!! Is it really that bad there? Thanks for any info.

[8 SNAKE]

The last three years have had ice, but I don't recall a lot of problems prior to this recent streak. Even when we get ice, it goes away within a few days (sometimes a few hours).

There are snakes in Missouri, but you're not going to be surrounded the moment you walk out your front door. You'll see them on occassion but it's hardly worth worrying about. Snakes don't want anything to do with people, so they're just as happy to avoid you as you are them.

Tornadoes come through the Midwest every year, but the odds of you getting hurt or killed by one is extremely low.

I can't say whether Missouri is a better place for you than South Dakota, but I can say that none of the factors that you mentioned would keep me from making the decision to move here. They're simply not major issues in my opinion.

[joetownmom]

Originally Posted by grammiex3boys

Hi! Husband and I are thinking of moving to Branson or Warsaw area. I'm tired of the cold, snowy winters in South Dakota and he wants a longer fishing season. People have told me NOT to go to that area due to lots of ice storms, tornados and SNAKES! I abhor snakes!! Is it really that bad there? Thanks for any info.

There will be many, many more tornado warnings than tornadoes but they do happen and occasionally are major destructive events. Ice storms happen almost every winter but major ones are less common. Snakes are here but you won't see them too much depending on where you live. When I lived in the country, we saw more than in my little suburb now but they are here too - had one on my porch last week but not a venomous one.

Really no worse potential for disaster than anywhere else, just good to know what to expect.

[Lake Junkie]

Joetownmom...you're going to get a wide variety of answers to both questions on this forum...as you'll see when you read some of the other threads about this subject...

I personally have seen very few snakes, no more than in my long-ago homeland of Northern California.

Here's some reading for you...this is stupid i know...snakes in missouri

I certainly wouldn't let the number of snakes keep you from moving here, and while the ice storms are annoying and not nearly as much fun as snow...it's only once or twice a winter usually. Springfield was devastated by a series of ice storms a couple of years ago, down here by the lakes we don't seem to get the really big bad ones. Knock on wood!

[joetownmom]

Originally Posted by Lake Junkie

Joetownmom...you're going to get a wide variety of answers to both questions on this forum...as you'll see when you read some of the other threads about this subject...

I personally have seen very few snakes, no more than in my long-ago homeland of Northern California.

Here's some reading for you...this is stupid i know...snakes in missouri

I certainly wouldn't let the number of snakes keep you from moving here, and while the ice storms are annoying and not nearly as much fun as snow...it's only once or twice a winter usually. Springfield was devastated by a series of ice storms a couple of years ago, down here by the lakes we don't seem to get the really big bad ones. Knock on wood!

Dear Lake Junkie,

I'm not the one who asked the questions, just one of those who tried to answer them. I have, in fact, several posts within that snakes-in-missouri thread.

It was Grammiex3boys who asked

[ozarksboy]

Originally Posted by grammiex3boys

Hi! Husband and I are thinking of moving to Branson or Warsaw area. I'm tired of the cold, snowy winters in South Dakota and he wants a longer fishing season. People have told me NOT to go to that area due to lots of ice storms, tornados and SNAKES! I abhor snakes!! Is it really that bad there? Thanks for any info.

You believe in global warming, don't you? Well, if you do, then you can expect to see more ice storms and less snow every winter. You can also expect to see more violent tornadoes like the one that destroyed Pierce City a few years back. Warmer weather means more bugs because the winters are not cold enough for long enough to kill them. And warmer weather also means more movement for the cold-blooded serpents.

At least, that's what the liberals around Rolla who believe in global warming tell me that we can expect, due to an inconvenient truth.

You should consider a move to Missouri very carefully and thoroughly.

So, in answer to your question, yes, it's really that bad here, or at least it's headed in that direction, assuming Al Gore is correct.

[christina0001]

Yes, read the thread above about snakes, I think we have all given our 2 cents there.
As for tornados and ice storms...yes they occur. You have to decide for yourself if you are comfortable with the frequency level. One person might feel they are not at all an issue, another might feel the complete opposite. Just like earthquakes and mudslides in California...I wouldn't live in an earthquake zone, but millions of people do and are totally fine with it.
If your husband likes fishing, he will be right at home here. Of course, Missouri is not the only state with great fishing.
I am not familiar with the Branson area, but I am familiar with the Warsaw area and I think it's great...very beautiful, plenty to do...for me it would be a great place to retire.

[Mollym313]

Originally Posted by grammiex3boys

Hi! Husband and I are thinking of moving to Branson or Warsaw area. I'm tired of the cold, snowy winters in South Dakota and he wants a longer fishing season. People have told me NOT to go to that area due to lots of ice storms, tornados and SNAKES! I abhor snakes!! Is it really that bad there? Thanks for any info.

BRRRRRRRR North Dakota? I think Missouri would be a nice change. It does get hot in the summer but if your in Branson...you can go to the lake.

[8 SNAKE]

Originally Posted by Mollym313

BRRRRRRRR North Dakota?

North Dakota??? Looks like South Dakota to me.

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by 8 SNAKE

North Dakota??? Looks like South Dakota to me.

In either direction, it's cold!