This photo taken July 24, 2010 provided by the NOAA National Weather Service shows a hailstone that was found by a ranch hand in Vivian, S.D., on June 23, 2010. (AP Photo/National Weather Service)
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Updated: Friday, 30 Jul 2010, 2:58 PM EDT
Published : Friday, 30 Jul 2010, 2:58 PM EDT
VIVIAN, S.D. (AP) - The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says a giant hailstone that fell in central South Dakota has broken U.S. records, even though the man who found it says it melted somewhat while waiting to be evaluated.
The NOAA's National Climate Extremes Committee says the hailstone found in the town of Vivian on July 23 measures 8 inches in diameter and weighs 1 pound, 15 ounces.
The committee says the South Dakota ice chunk breaks records set by hailstones discovered in Nebraska and Kansas.
Ranch hand Leslie Scott says the hailstone was about 3 inches larger when he found it.
Scott says he put it in the freezer but that he couldn't prevent some melting because of an hours-long power outage that followed the storm.
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