Seats are at a premium on planes and trains out of the nation's capital which is still blanketed in snow since a weekend blizzard dropped more than two feet of snow on the metro area.

The most pressing matter for travelers: get out before another foot or more of snow comes Tuesday.

Those travelers who can get to the airport or train station still have to haggle or wait in long lines to escape the snowbound Mid-Atlantic region.

The storm closed schools and some 230,000 federal workers in Washington have another day off Tuesday. Power is still out for tens of thousands of homes and businesses.

The snowbound U.S. Senate met for a few minutes Monday to recess for 24 hours.

Meteorologists predict the new snow will start Tuesday afternoon and continue into Wednesday. Between 12 and 18 inches are forecast for Philadelphia, the nation's sixth-largest city and a travel hub.

Airlines are warning travelers more flights will be canceled. The new storm is expected to hit a wider area, also affecting New York and Boston.