Natural hazards · Meridian

Meridian, KS natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Meridian comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Meridian?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Meridian to be higher than in 69% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding40%Tornadoes24%Cold waves9%Hail8%Strong wind7%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Meridian faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Inland flooding

40% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 78% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

24% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 93% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Cold waves

9% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 31% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Hail

8% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 89% of U.S. places

Recorded about 10 times a year in the area

Strong wind

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Lower here

Ice stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Meridian flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Meridian.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Meridian isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: McPherson County.

Disasters that hit Meridian

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Meridian itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the Township of Meridian.

Brought FEMA money into MeridianDeclared for McPherson County only

2013

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$15K to the Township of Meridian for repairs

2013

Snowstorm

$971 to the Township of Meridian for repairs

2010

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

$8K to the Township of Meridian for repairs

2007

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$4K to the Township of Meridian for repairs

2005

Severe Winter Storms, Heavy Rains, and Flooding

$2K to the Township of Meridian for repairs

McPherson County has had 16 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Meridian

Meridian and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

West Branchmostly inland floodingHigh

Meridianmostly inland floodingHigh

Moundmostly inland floodingHigh

Emmamostly inland floodingModerate

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Meridian is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Meridian’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Meridian. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.