2009 OMW Spring Ozark Outdoor Recreation Report
For the Twin Lakes Area of the North-Central Arkansas & South-Central Missouri Ozark Mountains
Updated weekly early March until May 1 when early summer begins

Please Note: Ice Storm Tree Damage
As you travel through the Ozarks you will see widespread tree damage resulting from the February ice storm. Some 60 percent of all trees in the area lost anywhere from 10 to 25 feet of their crowns due to the weight of the ice snapping branches. In many areas entire trees toppled over from the roots due to the ice weight. You will also see brush piles stacked up along roads for removal by road crews. You will see that many smaller tree trunks snapped off and lost the top 1/3 of their height. In general the Ozark forests floors are now snarled with limb debris. However, most dogwood trees and redbuds survived the storm in good shape due to their smaller size.

If you go hiking be careful not to sit under trees which have dangling branches. A great many branches snapped but did not drop to the ground. They can fall suddenly at any time. Do not camp or park vehicles under dangling branches. While almost all public areas have been cleared of any falling branch hazard, the remote back roads and hiking trails may pose risk.

Current Report - Final Report For Spring 2009
Thursday, April 30, 2009
(We update about once a week, or as spring conditions change.)
Early summer is here. All trees are now 80 to 90 percent leafed out. Only a few dogwoods remain in bloom. Wildflowers and all things summer continue to appear. We have had quite a bit of rain, and the forecast calls for rain this weekend. Warm weather has finally arrived.

Thanks for visiting this spring. We'll meet you here again for Spring 2010.

Thursday, April 16, 2009
Redbuds in most areas have faded. Dogwoods remain in peak bloom, but will be well past peak by this time next week. Tree leaf-out remains about 10 days due to the cooler than normal temperatures. While day time temps have been in the 60's and 70's, night time temps have been much cooler.

Spring peepers are now singing less and most likely will not be heard for more than a few more nights in most locations. The first hummingbirds have shown up, as have several other migratory waterfowl and song birds.

Lake and river levels remain very good, fishing is getting better and better in the lakes as the water warms. Trophy trout fishing in the rivers will be good for another couple of weeks. Wildflowers continue to bloom, but like the trees, they are a little behind a typical spring.

The next two weeks will be the last of Spring 2009. By May 1 we'll be in early summer. In our opinion there is no better time of year to enjoy the Outdoor Ozarks than the month of May.

Thursday April 9 Update - Many redbuds are still in bloom, and many are fading. Dogwoods are in bloom, now until next Friday will be the peak dogwood bloom. Leaf greenup remains slow, hillsides remain mostly bare. Weather outlook for this weekend is not too good. Saturday will be sunny to partly sunny, with rain moving in Sunday afternoon. Today and tomorrow will be rainy according to the forecast. However, this is spring, so check weather updates frequently.

Wednesday April 8 Update - Dogwood blossoms were not damaged in the nighttime freezes. Today it is a beautiful sunny day in the 70's. So much for the forecast of a few days ago! The leaf greenup remains behind a normal spring schedule. As a result you can see many more dogwoods in the understory than normal.

Not a great many changes since last week's report. It will be cold and windy Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Freeze warnings are in effect for nighttime temps all three nights. While it is possible dogwood blooms may freeze, it is not likely, but we'll keep you posted.

Many dogwoods are in bloom. Peak dogwood bloom will be this week and next week. Leaf greenup is a little behind a normal spring schedule, but there is much more green than what we saw last week.

We will update as soon as we know that the cold front as passed. That should be no later than Wednesday, but time will tell.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Dogwood trees are now showing their greenish-white early stage blossoms. Redbuds are in peak now and will begin to fade within the next week or so. As the redbuds fade the dogwoods will come into peak. Hillsides are now showing early stage green as leaf buds swell and start to open. Green-up is still 10 days away.

Service berry trees are in full bloom. These trees have white blossoms which many confuse with dogwoods. The service berry blossom has much smaller pedals than a dogwood.

The weather has been mild, mostly in the high 60's to low 70's during the day. (Spring peepers can finally be heard everywhere.) The forecast for the next few days is for temperatures in the 60's and 70's with partly cloudy skies. The wind has been blowing, which is normal for this time of year. When visiting the area be sure to include a wind-breaker in your gear.

You can expect both sun and light clouds with a steady breeze for the next several days. In other words, normal beautiful spring days. Yet weather can change quickly so be sure to check the local weather by clicking the link above before you leave.

Fishing is good in both lakes and in both rivers. Wildflowers continue to bloom, though they are all the smaller cool weather species. Water levels on both lakes and rivers are near normal levels and are not high.

Saturday, March 21, 2009
The weather was beautiful this past week with the first day of spring living up to its title. Lake and river levels are normal, fishing is good and getting better. We're seeing the first few small new leaves appearing, but hillsides remain winter bare. That will soon change.

From now until mid June a different set of wildflower species will blossom about every ten days. Early morning bird songs are getting more intense. Strangely few spring peepers can be heard. Normally other frogs and toads can be heard this time of year, but they too remain silent.

If you are waiting for redbuds before making your spring trip plan anytime over the next two weeks. If you are waiting for the dogwood bloom, that is still three weeks to a month away.

So far the recession has not had much of a negative impact on the area. While our real estate market is slow, not a whole lot else is different. Your favorite restaurants are still in business, and there are even a few new ones in the area.

Sunday, March 15, 2009
No doubt about it, spring is here. Weather has been in the 60's and low 70's during the day. Redbud trees are just starting to show.  Butterflies and moths have appeared. Early wildflowers have bloomed. Wild plum and wild cherry trees are in bloom now. You'll see their white blossoms in the understory and on hillsides. Tree buds are swelling and we'll soon see green leaf growth. Lawns will soon need mowing.

Migrating birds are starting to move through the area. Fish action is beginning on the lake surfaces. Wild turkey have not yet begun to gobble, but we're sure they'll start anytime.

We are not hearing any spring peepers anywhere, which is strange. Three weeks ago we had a warm spell and peepers could be heard as normal. Perhaps they finished their spring thing back then? We don't know. They should be in full chorus by now.

You will see the damage to trees resulting from our record-breaking ice storm last month. Many trees lost the top 10 to 20 feet of their trunks and branches. The forest understory is a tangle of fallen branches. Yet the damage has not slowed down Mother Nature. Aside from a rather stark skyline along ridgetops, everything will look normal once the leaves come out.

Over the next two weeks redbuds will be in bloom. Service berry trees, which bloom heavy with white blossoms, will also bloom. The dogwood bloom is still a good three weeks away. Despite the recession our tourism business is close to normal as many people enjoy our spring weather.

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