How unbearable are the summers? (St. Louis, Independence: real estate, college, to live)

[momgag]

I'm hoping to move out of Fort Worth TX at some point, and I spend a lot of time researching the cities that might be good places to which to relocate. St Louis is one I keep coming back to, because of the real estate prices, the excellent programs at the Independence Center (my adult son is schizophrenic), and the quality medical facilities. But the main negative for me is that I would really like to live someplace that has cooler summers. These hot Texas summers are really getting me down (it was 103 again today). My impression of STL is that the summers are hot and sticky. How bad is it in the summer? If any of you are refugees from the Dallas/Ft Worth area, how would you compare DFW and STL summers?

Thanks for any input!

[ajf131]

Not nearly as unbearable as down where you are. Sure we get struck by heat waves, but at least we get a decent break from them. It can get bad here though, I'm not going to lie. Look at last week's temperatures to see my point.

[OA 5599]

I can't provide an exact comparison, but I can provide a close one, as I've lived both in Austin and southern Missouri. I'm sure an Austin summer is a bit different than a DFW summer, and the summers where I grew up in Missouri are probably a tad bit worse than they are in St. Louis.

Missouri summers are much more humid than the summers in Austin. Last week the air temperature was only 95 or so during most of the days, but the humidity pushed the heat index here up to 104-105. The humidity makes it more difficult to cool off even in the shade. A day with 95+ degree temps in Missouri feels just as miserable, if not more miserable, than a 100 degree day in Austin felt.

However, the heat waves in Missouri are much shorter-lived than their Texas counterparts. You'll get a week or two of rough heat here, followed by temps in the 80's, and even a few days every summer with highs in the 70's. Last summer in Austin, there were triple-digit temps every day for weeks on end, from May until September. That never occurs in Missouri. I'd say a summer in Missouri is much more comfortable overall than one in Austin, but both can be equally miserable for several week each summer.

[Azalea City Man]

I can compare Saint Louis summers to summers on the Gulf Coast of Alabama. The heat & humidity feel the same. Pretty nasty. The only difference is that it's a 3 month summer here in STL and a 5 month summer from where I come from.

This past week (like in most parts of the country) was horrible. Felt like I was having cardiac arrest everytime I stepped outside during the day.

[momgag]

Oh,dear, I'm having scary flashbacks of my college years in Houston! Maybe I should start saving for a summer cabin in Colorado...

[STLCardsBlues1989]

We're in a heat wave, so it's been in the 80s and 90s the past week or so.

It's not pretty here. The feels like temperature was 105 yesterday.

My Pastor from Alabama says summers here are not as bad as they were in Alabama, though.

As long as the Air Conditioner works, we can always get through it.

[ShadowCaver]

Originally Posted by momgag

Oh,dear, I'm having scary flashbacks of my college years in Houston! Maybe I should start saving for a summer cabin in Colorado...

Which, lol, brings up the aspect of the other part of the calendar - what are your concerns about winter? StL will have a harsher & colder & icier & snowier time than TX - but not as much as the CO areas most likely of interest...

As stated by others/myself before - there are good/bad to just about everywhere; trade-offs that in the eye of the beholder and/or due to other situations makes one place more 'attractive' if not more bearable than another.

btw, a good graph near the bottom page [and other info] can be found Summer Weather Safety Week that shows real good what OA 5599 stated regarding relationship between actual temp + humidity.

Don't let the concern of StL summers keep you away - there are IMHO more positives [given what you stated in the first post] than that negative to make it worthy for you to strongly consider moving. Good luck

[momgag]

Well, I did survive DFW's heatwave of 1980, when we had 69 days over 100 degrees and record highs of 113! Of course, I was younger then and the heat didn't bother me as much as it does now.

As for winter, if I were still having to get out and go to work every day and drive in it, I might be more concerned, but since I'm on disability, it's not that big of a worry.

And, as you say, thank goodness for a/c, and at least the price of electricity in MO is about half what it is down here in TX.

[Power Strokin']

Momgag,

We moved here last year from Fort Worth. We love it here! The summers are much better, as everyone has stated you do get a break from the heat here and there. The best thing is you get four full seasons here. I felt like in Texas you only got Summer and Tornado/Hail Springtime LOL!!! We were accustomed to the humidity as we grew up in Georgia.

It has been very hot here the last two weeks but got up this morning and the humidity was gone. High 80's. Just a beautiful day and it was so welcomed!

I think you would like the doctor network here, I have been impressed. However, the doctors in Texas were good too.

The one thing for sure is the price of power is ALOT better here. Our bill in Texas would be around $200 and here its under $100.

I think you would like it here, we sure do!

[momgag]

Power Strokin',
Thanks for the input. It's good to hear from someone who has made the move from FW to STL, and great to hear that the summers aren't quite as bad.