WASHINGTON (AP) – A $20 cab ride to the airport skyrocketed to the "snow rate'' of $100 in the nation's capital, and those travelers who could get to the airport or train station still had to haggle or wait in long lines to escape the snowbound region.

The most pressing matter: Get out before more of the white stuff comes Tuesday.

"I'm done with city, urban snow life,'' said Chris Vaughan, a Washington resident who was able to re-book a flight to go skiing in Utah. He dodged the pricey cab fare by having a friend drop him off at the airport - in exchange for a bottle of wine.

The region was still trying to dig out after being buried under nearly three feet (one meter) of snow in some areas. One scientist said if all the snow that fell on the East Coast were melted, it would fill 12 million Olympic swimming pools or 30,000 Empire State buildings. Philadelphia needed just a little more than nine inches (23 centimeters) to make it the snowiest winter since 1884, the first year records were kept.

Forecasters predicted the snow would start Tuesday afternoon and continue into Wednesday. Airlines warned travelers more flights would be canceled and the new storm was expected to hit a wider area, affecting travel in New York and Boston.