Retailers in the Northeast are bracing for a snowstorm making its way up the East Coast set to hit during the last weekend of holiday shopping.

The Saturday before Christmas is often the busiest shopping day of the year.

The National Weather Service is warning the storm could bring snow to much of the region. Washington, D.C. could get 10 to 16 inches of snow, and the New York region 5 to 10 inches.

Experts say retailers already facing restrained shoppers could lose some sales they won't get back.

But Mike Niemira, chief economist at International Council for Shopping Centers, says a storm would put a dent in weekend sales in one region but might not be enough to hurt total holiday sales.