▁ 2 5 , ▁a ▁mix ▁of ▁rain ▁and ▁snow ▁began ▁to ▁develop ▁as ▁the ▁upper - level ▁tr ough ▁began ▁to ▁interact ▁with ▁low - level ▁mo ist ure ▁from ▁the ▁G ulf ▁of ▁Mexico . ▁The ▁system ▁intens ified ▁as ▁it ▁moved ▁across ▁the ▁southern ▁pla ins ▁and ▁into ▁the ▁Mississippi ▁Valley ▁on ▁Christmas ▁Day . ▁The ▁system ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁pull ▁in ▁cold ▁ar ctic ▁air , ▁causing ▁snow ▁and ▁free zing ▁rain ▁in ▁the ▁south , ▁leading ▁to ▁a ▁rare ▁" White ▁Christmas " ▁event ▁for ▁that ▁portion ▁of ▁the ▁country . ▁As ▁the ▁system ▁moved ▁through ▁the ▁Tennessee ▁Valley ▁over night ▁into ▁December ▁ 2 6 , ▁heavy ▁snow ▁continued ▁in ▁the ▁Ohio ▁Valley . ▁A ▁number ▁areas ▁in ▁the ▁Ohio ▁Valley ▁region , ▁including ▁Day ton , ▁Ohio ▁and ▁M iam is burg , ▁Ohio , ▁and ▁other ▁locations , ▁like ▁Ark ansas , ▁also ▁experienced ▁th und ers now . ▁As ▁the ▁day ▁progress ed , ▁the ▁system ▁brought ▁snow ▁into ▁the ▁Great ▁L akes ▁region , ▁and ▁a ▁new ▁low ▁pressure ▁center ▁began ▁to ▁develop ▁in ▁North ▁Carolina . ▁Environment ▁Canada ▁also ▁reported ▁that ▁the ▁system ▁began ▁impact ing ▁Ontario ▁that ▁day , ▁bringing ▁heavy ▁snow ▁to ▁the ▁province . ▁The ▁system ▁moved ▁into ▁the ▁N ortheast ▁early ▁December ▁ 2 7 , ▁with ▁the ▁upper - level ▁tr ough ▁moving ▁just ▁off ▁the ▁coast ▁of ▁the ▁Del mar va ▁Pen ins ula . ▁At ▁this ▁point , ▁the ▁storm ▁reached ▁its ▁lowest ▁reported ▁central