Ruth Ebert, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Glasgow, said the brunt of the storm passed through the Fairview area at about 5 p.m. The storm developed east of Wolf Point, and quickly moved into North Dakota, she said.

A farmer told the weather service that roofs were torn off several of his buildings, and inch-diameter hail covered the ground, Ebert said. No other reports of major damage were received. Further to the east, the hail grew to the size of golf balls.

Marthea Johnson lives less than a mile west of Fairview, and said the hail was powerful enough to dent vehicles and cause bruises.

They hurt like the devil, she said. Im going to have some black and blue spots on my back tomorrow.

Johnson said she knows of one mobile home north of town that had its siding blown off by the storm. Trees, gardens and crops in the area were also damaged, she said.

It looked like people mowed their gardens with the lawnmower, she said.