9:45 a.m. update — The freeway has since reopened at least partially; the previous version of this story follows

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All lanes of Highway 288 heading southbound were closed in Brazoria County early Monday due to a major crash.

Views from Air 11 showed an 18-wheeler jackknifed south of Pearland Town Center. Northbound lanes are not impacted other than rubbernecking.

Drivers heading southbound will want to find an alternate route as officials warned as of 7 a.m. the closure could last several hours.

Alternate route: Drivers who want to avoid the mess can use Broadway Street westbound to connect to FM 521 southbound to Highway 6 eastbound back to 288.

Written by KHOU