Road buckle on Southbound I-35 near Moose Lake exit

According to the Carlton County Sheriff’s Office, a portion of I-35 near Moose Lake has buckled in the heat. The sheriff’s office shared a picture of the damage on their Facebook page at 4:22 p.m. on Monday. The buckle occured in the southbound lanes near mile marker 214. Authorities ask motorists to drive carefully and avoid the area if possible.

According to the post, the picture does not do the damage justice.

According to the Minnesota Department of Transportation website, pavement can buckle when the air temperature changes from moderate to extreme heat. MnDOT says that roads are constructed into segments creating a space for expansion and contraction, and when that space is too small, the pavement can buckle or "blow up." MnDOT says that buckles are more common on older concrete pavements.

Officials do warn that a buckle in the road can be very dangerous for motorists. They advise drivers to find a different route, and not to drive over the area. If you have to drive over the buckle, slow down and try to safely move to another lane.

MnDOT says fixing a buckled roadway is a high priority, and other crews are reassigned to fix the issue.