By Kristen Gelineau
The Associated Press

CLEVELAND - Bicyclists were pushed backward and wind-stolen hats bounced along the sidewalks Thursday as 50 mph gusts and flurries blew through northeast Ohio following overnight storms that produced two tornadoes.

A National Weather Service wind advisory was lifted around 5 p.m., but drivers were urged to use caution in open areas as occasional snow squalls moved across the region.

Investigators in Wooster confirmed that a tornado downed trees and power lines and damaged the roof of a Rubbermaid plant Wednesday, injuring seven people at the business.

"We've had substantial damage," Rubbermaid spokeswoman Keri Butler said Thursday. The company was still running its distribution site, but manufacturing was shut down, and workers were helping with the cleanup, she said.

The tornado with winds of 110 to 130 mph was on the ground for about 12 miles, said meteorologist Mark Adams, of the Weather Service in Cleveland.

Another tornado that hit Lexington Township near Alliance, about 50 miles southeast of Cleveland, had winds of 75 to 100 mph and damaged a few homes and a school, Adams said.

After temperatures dropped from the 60s on Wednesday, snowflakes swirled in every direction Thursday as the wind whipped through downtown Cleveland.

Flurries mixed with periods of sunshine in central Ohio. Southwest Ohio had sunny skies but similar windy conditions.

Utilities covering most of the state reported downed power lines knocked out electricity to around 375,500 customers at the storm's peak. About 120,600 remained without power Thursday.

Wind hampered technicians' efforts to restore power to the 3,900 Wooster residents, said John Wise, director of the Wayne County Emergency Management Agency. "It's not making it real comfortable," Wise said. "It's a job I would not want to have today. It's cold. It's windy. We're getting some snow flurries, and there's still a lot of trees and branches down that they have to contend with."

In Springfield near Dayton, high winds damaged the roof of the Dole Fresh Vegetables Inc. packaging plant Wednesday night, causing an ammonia line to leak and forcing the evacuation of 150 workers, said Mike Doan, assistant Springfield fire chief. Two workers were hospitalized for breathing difficulties but were later released, Doan said.

Plant officials hoped to resume production by Thursday night.

In Toledo, a 61 mph gust was recorded Wednesday night and bricks littered a sidewalk downtown where strong winds damaged a vacant building undergoing renovation. No one was injured.