Baseball-sized hail clobbers Wyoming’s Devils Tower as powerful supercell races through Black Hills

DEVILS TOWER, Wyo. – Baseball-sized hail clobbered Devils Tower National Monument on Monday as a powerful supercell storm formed in northeast Wyoming.

The National Weather Service reported significant damage to trees, buildings, campers and vehicles caused by 2.75-inch hail and 54 mph wind. The extreme weather moved directly over the Bear Lodge Ranger District of the Black Hills near Hulett and Sundance in Crook County.

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The National Park Service closed Devils Tower due to storm damage. Park conditions were being reevaluated Wednesday morning.

“We are open and cleaning up well,” Tim Davis, the owner of Devils Tower Trading Post, told FOX Weather.

Davis said his business sustained about 20 broken windows and extensive mud accumulation from the hail that fell in front of the store. A 30-foot American flag positioned outside was also torn and devoid of any remaining stars.

“Picnic tables flew out and landed in the parking lot,” he added. “Broken trees and all vegetation shredded.”

The NWS said the supercell then tracked east through the Northern Black Hills and onto the plains of western South Dakota and continued to produce large hail, strong winds and heavy rain, before dissipating later in the evening, according to the National Weather Service.

Devils Tower is a geologic formation that rises out of the prairie near the Black Hills, according to NPS. It is considered sacred by the Northern Plains tribe and other indigenous people. The presence of hundreds of parallel cracks makes it one of the premier crack-climbing areas in North America.

Isolated thunderstorms are possible each day through Friday, the NWS said. A few of the storms may produce hail and strong winds. Critical fire weather conditions are expected Wednesday afternoon and evening across northeastern Wyoming and southwestern South Dakota.