Natural hazards · Merriam

Merriam, KS natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Merriam comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 80 claims here since 1981. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Merriam?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Merriam to be higher than in 16% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding35%Tornadoes24%Cold waves13%Heat waves12%Hail7%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Merriam faces

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

Inland flooding

35% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 18% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

24% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 88% of U.S. places

Cold waves

13% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 53% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Heat waves

12% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 15 times a year in the area

Hail

7% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 9 times a year in the area

Lower here

Ice stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Merriam flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Merriam, from FEMA’s records.

80paid claims since 1981

$1.6Mpaid to owners

8homes flooded more than once

19812026

Biggest named events

Not a named storm: 15 claims, $87K
Midwest Flooding: 9 claims, $336K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 05% off flood insurance. Merriam is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 9) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Johnson County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

6flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Merriam

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MerriamDeclared for Johnson County only

2023

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

$34K to the City of Merriam for repairs

2017

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$44K to the City of Merriam for repairs

2002

Severe Winter Ice Storm

$245K to the City of Merriam for repairs

Johnson County has had 10 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Merriam

Merriam and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Overland Parkmostly inland floodingLow

Shawneemostly inland floodingLow

Merriammostly inland floodingVery low

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. Merriam covers 5 census tracts, combined by population.

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

FEMA’s expected losses across Merriam total about $5.3M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

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.