Exterior Moisture

Moisture is a major enemy of stucco. Moreover, elements like snow and freezing rain, as well as ice, are able to quickly harm stucco. Outside, the snow, rain and melting ice seep into the stucco, which causes it to expand. This can cause the stucco's structure to break away from its wall, forming an opening in the wall that allows moisture to get trapped and cause additional damage. Once the moisture has penetrated the stucco, changing temperatures can cause further damage and cause the stucco to split because the water it holds expands and shrinks with temperature.

Interior Moisture

Moisture that gets trapped in between stucco walls may cause huge bubbles to form in the stucco. The bubbles eventually get so big that they explode, and the stucco is ripped off the wall. Or, they persist throughout winter until they dry and shrink and crack in the process of shrinking. The water that's trapped in them, when it is left for long, may also cause an environment where mold can develop between the stucco and the wall. This is most common in temperatures that rise in the winter months after a rain or snowstorm.

Cold, Dry Weather

Stucco is a good choice for winter weather conditions if they're dry but cold climates. Temperature fluctuations will cause the stucco's swell as well as shrink but not as much as other materials such as metal and wood. So long as the stucco's surface is not contaminated by moisture, the shrinking, as well as expansion, won't cause harm, and the stucco won't be damaged by the cold winter weather. Stucco is also well-suited to conditions of wind and cold where there isn't excessive water.