Massive winter storm barrels toward Philadelphia region

State of play: It's highly likely that the storm could dump upwards of a foot of snow across the Philly region, according to Amanda Lee, a meteorologist in the National Weather Service's (NWS) Mount Holly office.

• The storm is expected to move into the region Saturday night or early Sunday and then potentially linger into Monday, per the latest forecasts.
• Temps will remain dangerously low, with highs stuck in the 20s on Saturday and Sunday, per the NWS.
• Plus: A NWS winter storm watch is in effect from Saturday evening through Monday afternoon.
• The storm could cause widespread power outages across the region, so customers are being urged to prepare accordingly.

Worst case: Roughly 2 feet of snow could hit the region (10% likelihood), Lee said.

What they're saying: "We're highly confident that most of the area will see major impacts with this major winter storm," Lee said.

Worth noting: Forecasters are still updating their predictions, and the numbers could change up until the first snow starts falling.

• It remains uncertain where the highest snow amounts will accumulate and whether rising temperatures will bring a wintry mix to certain areas.

Context: These types of storms are rare for the region.

• Since 1884, Philly has experienced only nine snowstorms with a foot or more of accumulation in January, per NWS.
• The last time that happened was on Jan. 23, 2016, when 19.6 inches of snow fell.

Zoom in: Mayor Cherelle Parker's administration will detail the city's plan for the storm Friday during a 10am news conference.

Zoom out: State agencies are preparing for the storm and will provide details on Friday.

• Jeff Jumper, spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, tells Axios that people should stock up on the essentials ahead of the storm and avoid traveling after it begins, if possible.

What else: Ahead of what some residents dubbed "Snowmaggedon," Philadelphians were flocking to grocery stores to stock up on food, firewood, batteries, and other essentials in case they're snowed in this weekend.

Meanwhile, the city's hospitality industry is bracing for steep losses, Ben Fileccia of the Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association tells Axios.

• For the city's more than 6,000 restaurants and bars, widespread closures or reduced foot traffic could mean tens of millions of dollars in lost revenue over a single weekend.
• "Even the threat of weather makes most guests cancel," he said.

And for gig workers, many will face a familiar dilemma: lose a day's income or risk a dangerous shift chasing surge pay during the storm, which some companies offer during bad weather.

• "There are people who will say, 'I want my food, I want it now, and I don't care how I get it,'" says TJ Dalton, a 47-year-old computer programmer and ride-share and delivery driver.