National Weather Service confirms "rain-wrapped tornado"

The National Weather Service (NWS) has confirmed that the storm which temporarily shut down Devils Tower in August contained a tornado.

On Friday, NWS released information that the August 19 thunderstorm included a "rain-wrapped tornado" that developed about halfway between Hulett and Warren Peak in the Bear Lodge Mountains as the supercell thunderstorm tracked east.

The path of the tornado is estimated to have been around 2.5 miles. Along its route, NWS says numerous pine trees were uprooted or snapped in half, with a damage width of around a quarter mile.

U.S. Forest Service drone footage was instrumental in providing pictures and videos of the tornado's path. Because some of the damage on the southern edge was consistent with straight line winds rather than a tornado, NWS is estimating that the maximum tornado width was 300 yards.

According to NWS, the tornado was on the ground for around ten minutes, beginning at 6:12 p.m., and moved at around 15 to 20 mph. The estimated peak wind was 110 mph.

The August 19 storm also brought significant hail and wind, causing extensive damage to the national monument and surrounding area.