Vivian, SD Man Credited For Record Hail Stone

by Krystle Kacner
July 30, 2010


Lots of rain and storms today, but many are still talking about a thunderstorm last week in Vivian that left behind an unexpected surprise.

Among the damage to his home and property, Les Scott found a massive hailstone after the storm. The National Weather Service has now declared it the biggest ever in North America. KDLT's Krystle Kacner introduces you to the man who found it, and finds out what it's been like for him.

Last week Friday, giant hail pelted the town of Vivian South Dakota.

"Kept banging away and banging away and banging away and it was scary and it was awful big hail and I'll never see that again I'm sure," said Les Scott, of Vivian, SD

Les Scott was taking shelter in his home during the storm, but after, he went out to inspect the damage,
and he came back with some big findings.

"The main reason I picked that stone up when it hit right outside my house is it had a lot of fingers on it and they were longer than my fingers. I see it flying and I thought whoa that's weird. I went out picked it up, picked four or five other ones up, and brought them in," said Scott.

Bigger than baseballs and tennis balls, these stones are impressive, but the biggest one is the one attracting all the attention. Especially since it is now the largest hail stone on record in North America.

Once the National Weather Service got wind of it, they sent somebody down to inspect it. Now it's on its way to a research center in Boulder Colorado for further testing.

It may be far away, but Les Scott will always be able to remember it, thanks to a mold he'll be getting of the stone.

"I'd like to just keep it," said Scott.

Although he knows it'll look good sitting on his counter, and it's going to be a great story for years to come, the storm that brought it over was a dangerous one and the evidence is in the damage to the town, left behind.

The National Weather service is making molds of the record breaking stone.   Les Scott is also getting a second mold for the museum in Presho.