Power outages, low lake level in windy Ohio

CLEVELAND (AP) — Ohio’s Lake Erie shoreline is getting pummeled by strong winds, with scattered power outages across the region.

The National Weather Service issued a wind advisory until noon today for an area stretching from Lorain County west of Cleveland to the state’s far northeast corner. Forecasters say gusts could approach 50 mph.

Winds on Lake Erie pushed its water northeast, creating a low-water hazard for shipping. The low water level in the Toledo area was expected to ease as winds decline through the afternoon.

FirstEnergy spokesman Mark Durban says as many as 20,000 customers lost power overnight, with crews getting that number down to about 7,000 by late morning. Most outages occurred in lakefront communities.