Update: Tornadoes touched down

Update 10:15 p.m. Thursday The National Weather Service confirmed several tornadoes touched down in the area on Wednesday. One started near Collins, north of U.S. 20, at about 8:26 p.m. and continued about 9 miles east toward Kipton in Lorain County. The tornado was rated an EF-1, the second lowest ranking, with wind speeds of about 100 mph. There was mostly tree damage and some minor structural damage, according to the weather service, who also reported damaging straight-line winds near Wakeman. There was also two confirmed tornadoes in Ottawa County, near Rocky Ridge. Both were rated EF-0, the lowest tornado rating, and both began around 7:50 p.m. One started north of W. Ohio 163 and traveled east at about 80 mph for about half a mile. The other began just west of North Toussaint Portage Road and traveled east for about 3 miles at speeds of about 70 mph. Photos shared by the weather service appear to show a damaged silo-like structure along with some minor damage to a home. Original post This week, storms that rolled through the area brought high winds and subdiluvian rain. One system stretched from Mackinac in northern Michigan to Bucyrus. It brought wind gusts in excess of 50 mph on Wednesday afternoon. That system was preceded by a system that also brought heavy rain throughout Wednesday. Erie County No major storm damage was reported in Erie County, according to Sheriff Paul Sigsworth. Although there were reports of funnel clouds in Oxford Township at about 3:30 p.m. A very weak cell, that could have possibly produced some rotation, was spotted traveling out over the lake, according to the National Weather Service, Sigsworth said. Just before 5 p.m. Wednesday, a cell roiled the area with high winds and buckets of rain. Over Wednesday and Thursday, nearly an inch of rain fell on the region, according to the RainDrop application. The National Weather Service reported a wind gust in excess of 80 mph in Lorain County around 6 p.m. Wednesday. Rain fell on the area off and on all day Thursday. A moderately high risk of rip currents in the lake was reported by the weather service's Cleveland office. Two Erie County roads were closed for several hours beginning at 11:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Green Road between Denman and Lincoln roads in Florence Township was closed due to a downed tree. As of Thursday afternoon, it was reopened. River Road between Ohio 113 and Jeffries Road in Milan Township was closed beginning at about 11:30 p.m. Wednesday, according to the Erie County Sheriff's Office. It, too, was closed due to a downed tree. As of late Thursday afternoon, it was still barricaded and closed. Huron County After 11 p.m. Wednesday, rotation was observed in clouds near the Townsend Township fire department. The station is located at the intersection of U.S. 20 and Hartland Center Road in Collins. No tornadoes were confirmed to have touched down in the location, according to a social media post from the department. "As always, the safety of our community is our top priority. Please continue to monitor official weather updates from the National Weather Service for the most accurate and timely information," the post states. Numerous trees were reported down in the county. The northeastern part of the county was under a short-lived tornado watch Wednesday evening, according to the Huron County Emergency Management Agency.