Ice covered the roads in south central Minnesota on Saturday morning, causing automobiles to crash or go into ditches.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation reported that roads from Sherburn to Dexter and from the Iowa border to Ellendale were partially covered with ice, though stepping outside it seems ice covers all surfaces. Roads in the St. James area south of New Ulm also had partially covered icy roads. MnDOT showed roads in the Owatonna, Faribault, Rochester and Waseca were normal.

MnDOT’s 511 website, at 8:45 a.m., showed several crashes in Freeborn County. There were two near the Alden exit of Interstate 90. A third crash was a mile south of Clarks Grove on Interstate 35. The fourth was near Exit 8, the U.S. Highway 65 exit of I-35. Police scanners also revealed travel woes on city and county routes.

At 9 a.m., there were reports of crashes at miles 2 and 3 of I-35, with an injury reported at the mile 2 crash. Details were emerging Saturday. A semi jackknifed on I-35 between Exit 8 and Exit 11.

And by 9 a.m. three other crashes were listed for I-90, one near the Hayward exit, one near the Petran exit and yet another one near Alden.

The National Weather Service issued a hazardous weather outlook for much of the state south of St. Cloud. It said areas of freezing drizzle were possible and cautioned that freezing drizzle was possible again Sunday morning.

The statement also mentioned that a large storm system is in the works for the Upper Midwest for Tuesday and Wednesday.

“The potential for accumulating snow exists for much of the area during that time,” the statement says.

The weather service’s forecast for Albert Lea calls for a slight chance of drizzle, snow and sleet before noon Sunday, with a 30 percent chance of drizzle and sleet in the afternoon. The forecast high is 37 degrees. Rain is likely Monday, with a forecast high of 38. There is a 40 percent chance of snow for Tuesday and 30 percent for Monday, though those figures likely will change by Monday evening.

So far, Christmas Day looks to be partly sunny, with a high of 27.