FARGO, N.D. — Freezing rain coated roads throughout the Dakotas Monday, causing headaches for motorists and delaying or shutting down schools.

The National Weather Service posted a freezing rain advisory in much of North Dakota and in northern South Dakota, with much of the rest of South Dakota under either a winter weather advisory or a winter storm warning. Up to half a foot of snow was expected in southeastern South Dakota by the end of the storm, according to forecasters.

Freezing rain was also making roads icy in western Minnesota, and snow was expected across the state and into western Wisconsin later.

The storm with both rain and snow was unusual for the time of year, said Todd Heitkamp, a weather service meteorologist in Sioux Falls.

“We’ve been in a warm weather pattern, and when you get a pattern like that, any system you see is going to be like a late-fall or early spring storm,” he said.

Dan Grider, general manager of the Great Bear Recreation Park ski area, near Sioux Falls, said the snow was welcome, but not enough to change the park’s plans to close for the week. The park needs to make artificial snow to replenish the 12-to-18-inch base depleted by last week’s unseasonably warm weather and the rain on Sunday and early Monday.

“Never have we opened (in November) and then had to shut down for an extended period of time to make more snow because we lost what we had,” said Grider, who has been at the park for 22 years.

Freezing rain began hitting North Dakota late Sunday, causing problems for the Monday morning commute.