Travel warnings as ice-covered roads cause over 50 crashes
Conditions on roads remain treacherous in certain parts of Minnesota, following a morning that saw multiple spinouts and crashes across the state.
The Minnesota Department of Transport's (DOT) travel map shows that certain roads in central, western and northern Minnesota are either completely (pink) or partially covered (blue) with ice or snow.
The DOT is urging caution on the roads, asking drivers to slow down to avoid a spinout.
Sgt. Jesse Grabow, of Minnesota State Patrol, revealed on Twitter there had been 30 crashes in West Central Minnesota this morning, with 6 people injured, and another 25 crashes in the St. Cloud area, with one injured.
According to KSTP, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office issued a no travel advisory following a string of incidents on Interstate 94 this morning, including an overturned semi eastbound between Fergus Falls and Alexandria.
A no travel advisory was also issued by Stevens County this morning, according to the Morris Sun Tribune.
By just after lunchtime, the DOT map showed that roads in the West Central area had been thawing, with conditions said to be normal around Alexandria, but there is still partial or complete ice covering on roads in northwest, north-central and northeast Minnesota.
Sgt. Grabow said that troopers have been dealing with multiple incidents following freezing rain overnight.