Hold on to your hats! 90 km/hr winds hitting London area

A special weather statement has been upgraded to a warning as strong winds pick up across southwestern Ontario Thursday. 

Environment Canada is calling for gusts between 80 km/h to 90 km/h into the afternoon. The weather agency says the winds are from the southwest and are strong due to the passage of a cold front. 

Winds of that force can cause damage to buildings, including to roofs and shingles. Loose objects can also blow away, and trees and branches could also snap.

The weather authority said the winds could also cause power outages. 

Hydro One and London Hydro crews were responding to several small outages as the wind began picking up in the late morning.