Three of the four listed need to be a winter storm, but one can happen year-round — even in the summer.
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.
WATCH: SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAUSES BOUNCE HOUSE TO GO AIRBORNE IN ALABAMA
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Late Monday afternoon, a supercell developed across northeast Wyoming and tracked directly over Devils Tower, Wyoming, where it caused extensive damage to trees, buildings, campers and vehicles. (Courtesy of Ken Nutter via NWS)
Late Monday afternoon, a supercell developed across northeast Wyoming and tracked directly over Devils Tower, Wyoming, where it caused extensive damage to trees, buildings, campers and vehicles. (Courtesy of Jodi Havener via NWS)
Late Monday afternoon, a supercell developed across northeast Wyoming and tracked directly over Devils Tower, Wyoming, where it caused extensive damage to trees, buildings, campers and vehicles. (Courtesy of Jodi Havener via NWS)
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Late Monday afternoon, a supercell developed across northeast Wyoming and tracked directly over Devils Tower, Wyoming, where it caused extensive damage to trees, buildings, campers and vehicles. (Courtesy of Ken Nutter via NWS)
Late Monday afternoon, a supercell developed across northeast Wyoming and tracked directly over Devils Tower, Wyoming, where it caused extensive damage to trees, buildings, campers and vehicles. (State of Wyoming)
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Late Monday afternoon, a supercell developed across northeast Wyoming and tracked directly over Devils Tower, Wyoming, where it caused extensive damage to trees, buildings, campers and vehicles. (Courtesy of Jodi Havener via NWS)
Late Monday afternoon, a supercell developed across northeast Wyoming and tracked directly over Devils Tower, Wyoming, where it caused extensive damage to trees, buildings, campers and vehicles. (Courtesy of Ken Nutter via NWS)
Here’s a look at the damage after the storm outside Devils Tower Trading Post on Monday. (Devils Tower Trading Post)
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Late Monday afternoon, a supercell developed across northeast Wyoming and tracked directly over Devils Tower, Wyoming, where it caused extensive damage to trees, buildings, campers and vehicles. (Courtesy of Thomas Winesett via NWS)
The National Park Service closed Devils Tower due to storm damage. Park conditions were being reevaluated Wednesday morning.
Several traffic cones and a stop sign lay on the ground after being blown over in a hail storm.
(H. Valls, DETO / NPS Photo)
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“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.”
Here’s a look at the damage after the storm outside Devils Tower Trading Post on Monday.
(Devils Tower Trading Post)
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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.
The supercell then tracked eastward into Spearfish, South Dakota.
(Courtesy of Janice Wolfe via NWS)
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.
This story is part of our Quick Hits series. This series will bring you breaking news and short updates from throughout the state.
The former director of the Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) agency is joining Wyoming’s Game and Fish Department.
9-News reported that Jeff Davis was hired as the department’s deputy director in late December. That’s after Doug Brimeyer retired.
He starts the job in February.
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Davis resigned from CPW last year instead of being fired as part of a settlement agreement. The settlement agreement Davis signed did not directly cite a reason for his termination.
Davis joined CPW as the state reintroduced wolves. His resignation came shortly after Washington state said it would not provide wolves to Colorado’s reintroduction program.
Before joining CPW in 2023, Davis had a long career in the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. While there, he focused on coordinating conservation initiatives involving interdisciplinary teams and salmon recovery.
BILLINGS— Activists on both sides praised and criticized the Wyoming Supreme Court’s ruling of abortion bans as unconstitutional on Tuesday in a 4-1 majority.
The ruling marks the end of a four-year legal battle in Wyoming since the state’s 2022 abortion ban went in place with the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, which overturned abortion rights on a federal level.
Watch for the report:
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Activists react after Wyoming high court rules abortion ban unconstitutional
The ban was put on hold after Wyoming’s only abortion clinic, Wellspring Health Access in Casper, led a suit against the state.
“I was holding my breath as I opened it and read it. But soon that turned to being rather elated. We couldn’t be more pleased with the opinion,” said Julie Burkhart, the clinic’s president.
Vanessa Willardson
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Julie Burkhart
The decision comes after a years-long fight and setbacks, including an arsonist who set the clinic on fire in May of 2022.
“We were set to open that next month, but unfortunately that arson set us back by 11 months. We weren’t able to open that until 2023. It was quite devastating,” said Burkhart.
“I don’t think it’s moral, ethical, appropriate for anyone to tell another person what they can or cannot do with their own body,” she added.
Wellspring Health Access
Wellspring Health Access after 2022 fire
For a Montana advocacy group, it was a different story.
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“I was very disappointed,” said Amy Seymour, president of Yellowstone Valley Christians for Life, an anti-abortion advocacy group.
“These pre-born children who are unique, complete, living, individual human beings from the moment of their conception, they can be protected if Wyoming decides to have a constitutional amendment to that degree,” she added.
Vanessa Willardson
Amy Seymour
Wyoming state Speaker of the House Chip Neiman, a Republican, echoed Seymour’s sentiments with a written statement.
“Today’s decision is an abomination. Four unelected justices thwarted the will of the people to establish a ‘right’ to kill an innocent baby. Thanks to these justices, Wyoming has some of the most radical abortion laws in America. I will not stand for that, and will continue fighting for innocent unborn babies,” said Neiman.
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Wyoming Supreme Court strikes down abortion bans, keeping procedure legal
GLENROCK, Wyo. — A 55-year-old Wyoming man died Monday night after his vehicle went over a bridge rail and caught fire on Interstate 25 near Glenrock.
Gavin Stanek was traveling north in a Cadillac Escalade around 9:13 p.m. when the vehicle drifted into the median near milepost 156, according to a Wyoming Highway Patrol report. The vehicle continued through the median until it struck a bridge retaining wall.
The driver’s side of the Escalade scraped along the rail before the vehicle went over the edge toward the river. The Cadillac rolled toward the passenger side and landed on its roof on the river embankment, where it was engulfed in flames, the report states.
The Wyoming Highway Patrol identified driver fatigue or the driver falling asleep as a possible contributing factor in the crash. Road conditions were dry and the weather was clear at the time of the incident.
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This story contains preliminary information as provided by the Wyoming Highway Patrol via the Wyoming Department of Transportation Fatal Crash Summary map. The agency advises that information may be subject to change.
