Boulder, Colorado - North America's heaviest hailstone ever might also be its most-travelled.
The 875g hailstone that fell in South Dakota, on July 23, has been taken to the National Centre for Atmospheric Research in Colorado, about 600km away.
Charles Knight, a scientist at the centre, plans to cast plaster replicas for researchers, a South Dakota museum and Leslie Scott, the ranch hand who found it.
Knight says he'll then cut it in two and photograph its internal rings.
The hailstone is being stored in a freezer, but the lab isn't taking any chances. A tweet announcing the hailstone's arrival said: "Hey, keep that away from the margarita mix!"
Federal climate officials have confirmed it was the heaviest ever recorded on the continent. - Sapa-AP