Yeah, I grew up in New Mexico, and moved to Oklahoma after college (still live here). You have NO IDEA how serious and dangerous the weather can be out here... Ice storms, blizzards, 100 MPH straight-line winds, downbursts, outrageous hail (I've had chickens killed in hailstorms and seen cars literally beaten to a pulp), torrential rains, floods, 300+ MPH tornados, bone-chilling cold, incredible heat and humidity... We got it all!
...you live there for the variety of weather?