Merriam, KS · Johnson County
Roof inspections in Merriam.
The Census Bureau’s 2020–2024 American Community Survey estimates the median year built of Merriam’s housing at 1970, compared with 1976 statewide.
The short answer
Merriam requires a building permit to install a roof, and the roofer needs a Merriam Occupational License, a Johnson County Contractor License and Kansas registration.
Since 2016, National Weather Service reports show hail 1 inch or larger within 5 miles of central Merriam on 17 days and gusts of 58 mph or more on 30 days. The largest hail reported there was 2.0 inches on March 13, 2024.
A free, no-obligation inspection comes from an independent roofing partner that serves Merriam, and checking storm history doesn’t file an insurance claim.
Merriam sits along I-35 in northeast Johnson County; once called Campbellton, the town came to be known as Merriam in the 1880s and officially became a city on October 23, 1950.
A house’s age doesn’t tell you the roof’s age, so Roof Inspectors starts with your address: how many significant storms are on record near your home, in plain language. For a closer look, one local roofing partner does a free inspection. There’s no obligation, and it doesn’t file an insurance claim.
Storm record for Merriam since 2016
NOAA/NWS storm reports through November 10, 2026.
These are records for the wider area, not for your address. A storm on record doesn’t mean your roof was damaged, and it doesn’t mean your insurance company will accept that storm or date. That’s why an inspection is worth having: a roofing professional looks at the roof itself.
- Hail-report days
- 17
- 1 in+, since 2016
- Wind-report days
- 30
- 58 mph+, since 2016
- Radar hail days
- 9
- 1 in+, since 2021
Severe-weather days per year
- Days with hail 1 in+
- Days with only wind 58 mph+
* Year to date, through November 10, 2026.
See the numbers by year
| Year | Hail days | Wind days | Radar days |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 | 3 | — |
| 2017 | 2 | 4 | — |
| 2018 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 2019 | 3 | 0 | — |
| 2020 | 0 | 4 | — |
| 2021 | 4 | 3 | 4 |
| 2022 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2024 | 2 | 6 | 2 |
| 2025 | 2 | 6 | 2 |
| 2026to Nov 10preliminary | 2 | 1 | 0 |
Hail days: Weather Service reports of 1 inch or larger. Wind days: gusts of 58 mph or more. Radar days: radar estimates of 1 inch or larger, from 2021.
Biggest storm days within 5 miles of central Merriam
Ranked by the largest hail reported, then the strongest wind.
March 13, 2024
Hail 2.0 in (hen egg)Wind 64 mph3 severe reports
March 6, 2017
Hail 2.0 in (hen egg)5 severe reports
September 16, 2025
Hail 1.75 in (golf ball)Wind 60 mph8 severe reports
May 8, 2024
Hail 1.75 in (golf ball)8 severe reports
September 27, 2019
Hail 1.75 in (golf ball)5 severe reports
How we count. A hail day is a day with at least one National Weather Service hail report of 1 inch or larger within 5 miles of central Merriam; a wind day has a measured or estimated gust of 58 mph or more. Data through November 10, 2026.
The full method and source
Several reports on the same day count once.
Our storm records come from NOAA radar estimates and National Weather Service reports. Radar can miss or misjudge hail, and a report marks a single spot, so records can be incomplete. Treat them as a starting point, not a verdict about your roof.
Radar hail days use NOAA’s radar estimates (MRMS) of 1 inch or larger over the same area, counted only when the Weather Service also logged hail within 15 miles that day. 2026 numbers come from preliminary reports and can change.
Source: NOAA / National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center storm reports and NOAA MRMS radar hail estimates, retrieved November 11, 2026. Data through November 10, 2026; 2026 reports are preliminary and can still change. Compiled by Roof Inspectors from public-domain NOAA data. How storm data works.
On our hail-by-place comparison (5-mile circles, 2016–2025), Merriam is in the higher band.
Your own street can differ. Check the storm history for your address or see Kansas City hail history by year.
Was hail recorded near your street?
Hail falls in narrow swaths — see what the records show at or near your address.
- Doesn’t file an insurance claim
- One local partner, never a pile-on
Storms in and around Merriam
- KCTV5 on the NWS tornado survey (opens in a new tab)
The National Weather Service confirmed an EF-0 tornado that began at 11:34 p.m. near Lake Quivira in northern Shawnee and moved east through portions of Merriam and along the I-35 corridor. Estimated peak winds were 75 mph.
It crossed into Kansas City, Missouri, and ended near Westport around 11:45 p.m., on a 7.87-mile path up to 50 yards wide. The NWS said most damage was to trees and no injuries were reported, and called its survey findings preliminary.
- NOAA SPC storm reports, Sept. 16, 2025 (opens in a new tab)
Preliminary storm reports put hail up to 1.75 inches 2 miles west of Merriam, with quarter-size (1-inch) hail reported 1 to 2 miles north and northwest of the city.
One report cited a social media photo of hail up to half-dollar size on Knox Street. Another described downed tree limbs and quarter-size hail on 53rd Street.
- NOAA SPC storm reports, Sept. 20, 2021 (opens in a new tab)
Preliminary storm reports placed hail up to 1.75 inches 2 miles west of Merriam, with 1-inch hail reported the same day near Shawnee and Lake Quivira.
Storms we’ve written up near Merriam
- May 31–June 1, 2026: An 82 mph gust in Kansas City, downburst damage in North Kansas City and hail up to 2 inches
1 report on the storm page’s map is about 1 mile from central Merriam.
- April 26–27, 2026: Hail up to 2.5 inches in Cass County, golf-ball hail near Olathe and Shawnee, and four brief tornadoes
1 report on the storm page’s map is about 4 miles from central Merriam.
- April 17, 2026: Golf-ball hail near downtown Kansas City, 70 mph winds and an EF1 tornado from Belton to Raymore
5 reports on the storm page’s map fall within 5 miles of central Merriam; the closest is about 2 miles away.
- March 10, 2026: Hail up to 4.5 inches reported in the Kansas City Northland
2 reports on the storm page’s map fall within 5 miles of central Merriam; the closest is about 3 miles away.
Before you hire a roofer in Merriam
- According to the City of Merriam’s roofing construction guidelines, installing a roof (recovering, replacing, or repairing) requires a city building permit. To be eligible for one, a roofing contractor must have a current Merriam Occupational License, a Johnson County Contractor License, and Kansas roofing contractor registration. KS
- The same guidelines require tearing off existing roofing before a new roof goes on if it has two or more layers, is water-soaked or too deteriorated to be an adequate base, or is wood shake, slate, clay, cement, or asbestos-cement tile. The city will perform a final inspection. KS
- Merriam’s building permits page lists residential re-roofs among its residential alteration permits and says residential permits can be applied for online or in person at City Hall. Requirements can change, so confirm the details with the city’s Community Development department. KS
- Kansas requires roofing contractors to register with the Kansas Attorney General before doing residential or commercial roofing work for pay. Ask any roofer for their registration number — and look it up. KS
- City of Merriam — Roofing construction guidelines (opens in a new tab)KS
- City of Merriam — Building permits (opens in a new tab)KS
- Kansas Attorney General — Roofing Registration (opens in a new tab)KS
Rules change; confirm current requirements with the city before work begins. This isn’t legal advice.
ZIP codes we serve in Merriam
- 66202
- 66203
Not listed? Enter your address — we confirm service for your exact location.
Merriam roof inspection questions
Do I need a permit to replace my roof in Merriam?
Did the March 2026 tornado pass through Merriam?
Is there a charge for a roof inspection in Merriam?
If you file a claim, even after an inspection, your insurance company decides what’s covered and what it pays. Roof Inspectors and our roofing partners can’t make that decision or promise an outcome.
Nearby communities
Merriam is in our service area, which covers homes within about 60 miles of Overland Park, Kansas. For every community we serve in Kansas and Missouri, see roof inspection in the Kansas City area.
See the storms on record near your Merriam home.
Start with a free storm count for your address. It takes about 30 seconds.
Checking storm history doesn’t file an insurance claim, and no roofer gets your details unless you book an inspection.