Severe winds leaves two dead, 50,000 without power in San Francisco area

(Reuters) - The San Francisco area was hammered by strong winds that knocked down trees and power lines on Thursday, leaving at least 2 people dead and more than 50,000 without power in California.

Wind gusts, some in excess of 50 miles per hour, were driven by a storm system that hit arid parts of the state to the south, according to the National Weather Service.