▁both ▁a ▁torn ado ▁out break ▁and ▁a ▁bl izz ard ▁across ▁the ▁southern ▁and ▁eastern ▁United ▁States . ▁On ▁Christmas ▁Day ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁( Dec ember ▁ 2 5 ), ▁a ▁torn ado ▁out break ▁occurred ▁across ▁Southern ▁United ▁States . ▁This ▁severe ▁weather / t orn ado ▁event ▁affected ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁G ulf ▁Coast ▁and ▁southern ▁East ▁Coast ▁over ▁a ▁two - day ▁span . ▁It ▁occurred ▁in ▁conj unction ▁with ▁a ▁much ▁larger ▁winter ▁storm ▁event ▁that ▁brought ▁bl izz ard ▁conditions ▁to ▁much ▁of ▁the ▁interior ▁United ▁States . ▁In ▁total , ▁ 3 1   t orn ado es ▁were ▁confirmed ▁by ▁the ▁National ▁We ather ▁Service ▁in ▁five ▁states ▁from ▁Texas ▁to ▁North ▁Carolina . ▁All ▁but ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁torn ado es ▁that ▁occurred ▁during ▁the ▁out break ▁touched ▁down ▁on ▁December   2 5 , ▁with ▁the ▁other ▁occurr ing ▁the ▁following ▁day ▁in ▁North ▁Carolina . ▁Two ▁of ▁the ▁torn ado es ▁were ▁destruct ive ▁enough ▁to ▁be ▁r ated ▁EF 3 ▁on ▁the ▁En hanced ▁F uj ita ▁Sc ale . ▁At ▁least ▁ 1 6 ▁people ▁died ▁as ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁the ▁related ▁bl izz ard , ▁and ▁thousands ▁were ▁without ▁power . ▁ ▁There ▁were ▁ 6 3   pre lim inary ▁local ▁storm ▁reports ▁received ▁for ▁torn ado es , ▁including ▁ 6 0 ▁in ▁four ▁states ▁on ▁December   2 5 ▁alone . ▁Sign ific ant ▁torn ado es ▁included ▁a ▁long – track ed