WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Heavy snowfall blanketed the  US East Coast  yesterday, disrupting public transport and  air travel, and hampering holiday shoppers on the last weekend  before Christmas.

Up to 22 inches (56 cms) of snow was expected to fall by  last night in the Baltimore-Washington area, more than any  snowstorm to hit the region since February 2003, as the storm  system moved north into New York and New England.

With snow falling at a rate of two inches an hour,  Washington’s Reagan National airport was closed until this  morning and most airlines canceled their flights from Dulles  International Airport.

The driving snowstorm did not stop US senators from  convening and Democrats secured the pivotal 60th vote of  holdout Senator Ben Nelson needed to ensure passage of the  healthcare overhaul bill by Christmas.

The storm could take a big bite out of retail sales on one  of the busiest shopping weekend of the year.

Airport officials said a majority of flights from Baltimore  were cancelled, Philadelphia International Airport was facing  six-hour delays and New York’s LaGuardia airport was also  experiencing numerous airline cancellations.