Here in Washington state, we get heavy, wet snow. It seems like every year at least one large limbs come plummeting down from the top of the tree during our snowstorms.
I imagine younger trees would be more limber.

-Sam

Check out its native range, what environmental factors it has to deal with. That would give an idea of how suitable a tree/plant is for your climate.

From what I have seen, Deodar have something like average strength. I have seen one uprooted and/or broken once or twice. They are not as strong as baldcypress, but if you like them, plant them.

--Spruce

In Southern California they are very dependable. I get some very stiff winds in winter. Sometimes they're hot and sometimes they're cold like the one that's blowing now. The only deodars I've seen blown over are those still in nursery pots.

Those delicate looking limber branches wave softly like feathers offering very little resistance to the wind. We have had winds with gusts over 100 that damaged my roof. Didn't damage the deodars down the street.

Thanks y'all!

Also, do they still have a nice shape while growing near other trees, or do they need to be out in the open?

If it's running into another tree that will affect the shape. They look best when not crowded. Also younger trees need to be allowed to keep their lower branches. They usually branch all the way to the ground. They're healthier and happier that way.

I found a good sized one (more than 12 feet) today at the nursery for a nice price. Getting it home was very amusing. It completely filled my safari van so that there was hardly room for me to drive. If the branches were not so spaghetti-like it would have never fit. The top was doubled over against the windsheild. My son just looked at it in the yard and asked how in the world did I get it in the van.

My father calls them widow makers because the cones are huge and dangerous and the limbs can break of and are also huge and dangerous. The are gorgeous but I wouldn't plant it over a kids playground.

I doubt the cones are any bigger than longleaf pine cones, I've seen those almost 10" long. LOL

I ordered a few seedlings online (from Oregon) so I guess I'll see how well they grow down here.

"My father calls them widow makers because the cones are huge and dangerous and the limbs can break of and are also huge and dangerous. The are gorgeous but I wouldn't plant it over a kids playground"

He must be thinking of something else. Deodar Cedar cones are not very large (8-12cm long), and they break up on the tree when ripe, so you almost never find them intact on the ground.

Resin

He's definitely thinking of something else. One of the trees in Araucaria family drops 15 pound cones when it gets huge and old. Coulter's pine also makes cranium crushers and I've heard that one called Widowmaker.

Deodars are not particularly known for dropping limbs.