High winds barrel through Ohio, leaving thousands without power

High winds wreaked havoc in central Ohio on Saturday afternoon and evening, downing trees and power lines, uprooting street signs and fences, and sending debris whipping down streets. The strongest gusts, hitting 58 mph, hit the Columbus area shortly after 7 p.m., said James Gibson, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Wilmington. The winds had started picking up around 3 p.m., when they reached speeds of about 35 mph in central Ohio, Gibson said.