A contrast of temperatures in Seattle from the record cold of 1950 to this winter's warmth. Quarterback Sam Darnold is close to the Super Bowl after a rocky career start. A downtown shooting claimed one life.
Contrast of eras: from the icy hell of 1950 to near-record warmth in Seattle
Seattle, a city known for its rainy but temperate climate, recently experienced a day that served as a vivid reminder of how much the weather can change over time. While residents enjoyed unseasonably mild air of about +15°C, meteorologists noted a near-record reading, just a couple degrees shy of the 1960 high. But the real story of the day is revealed in contrast: exactly 76 years earlier, on January 31, 1950, Seattle endured the only day in its history when the thermometer dropped to zero degrees Fahrenheit — a bone-chilling −18°C.
According to FOX 13 Seattle, on January 31, 2026, the temperature at Seattle–Tacoma International Airport reached 59°F (+15°C), just two degrees below the record high for that date set in 1960. The 2025–2026 winter has so far spared the region much snow, creating problems for local ski resorts. However, the mid-20th-century picture was the exact opposite. January 1950 went down as one of the harshest on record. First, on January 13, a powerful snowstorm dumped more than 25 centimeters (about 10 inches) of snow downtown and over 50 centimeters (about 20 inches) at the airport. Two weeks later, on January 31, the historic low occurred. The daytime high that day never rose above −7°C, and on the morning of February 1 an almost record low of +1°F (−17°C) was recorded.
To grasp the scale of that event, it’s worth explaining: zero degrees Fahrenheit is an extremely low temperature for a maritime climate region like Washington’s west coast. The waters of the Pacific Ocean and Puget Sound usually moderate winters, making severe freezes rare. In 1950 the cold was so intense that, as noted in the article, Green Lake froze over, parts of Gig Harbor iced up, and even icy patches appeared in Puget Sound itself. Temperatures below +10°F (−12°C) are exceptional for Greater Seattle. The last time anything similar — though not as extreme (7°F or −14°C) — was observed was in 1989.
This weather contrast is a striking illustration of climatic variability and natural weather swings. Photographs published by the Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI) for the 75th anniversary of those events show a city paralyzed by snow and ice — an image unthinkable to a modern Seattle resident who hasn’t seen a flake of snow this winter. The deep cold of that year didn’t just set records, it altered city life for weeks, while the current warmth is part of a trend toward milder winters in the region. The day is a reminder that the climate history of even a place as weather-predictable as Seattle can hold surprises, from icy hell to almost springlike warmth in the middle of winter.
Sam Darnold’s incredible journey: from draft bust to the doorstep of the Super Bowl
The NFL’s history contains many surprising twists of fate, but Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold’s path to Super Bowl LX could become one of the most unusual in the 60-year history of the championship game. If the Seahawks defeat the New England Patriots, Darnold — once considered a draft bust — will join a very exclusive club of champions.
Across the previous 59 Super Bowls, 36 starting quarterbacks have lifted the Lombardi Trophy, and only seven of those selected in the first round won the title not with the team that originally drafted them. Among them are legends like Len Dawson, Jim Plunkett and Steve Young, as well as figures such as Trent Dilfer, often cited as one of the worst quarterbacks ever to win a Super Bowl. However, as noted in the Seattle Sports piece, Darnold’s career to date stands out even against that backdrop. Matthew Stafford, who won a title with the Los Angeles Rams in 2021, played 12 productive seasons in the Detroit Lions and is hardly considered a draft bust. Three others (Earl Morrall, Doug Williams and Dilfer) became champions by stepping in for the starter during the season. Darnold’s story, by contrast, is one of a complete revival after a string of failures.
His career start with the New York Jets was disappointing: 13 wins against 25 losses over three seasons. After Darnold’s departure the Jets continued to struggle, cycling through nine starting quarterbacks in five years. Things didn’t click in the Carolina Panthers either, where he spent two seasons and went 8–9. It seemed the No. 1 pick of the 2018 draft was on a downward spiral. The turning point came in 2024 with the Minnesota Vikings, where Darnold finally unlocked his potential, going 14–3 and throwing for 4,319 yards. That breakthrough convinced the Seattle Seahawks to bet on him, and Darnold repaid the faith with another 14–3 season and 4,048 yards in the regular season. Now 28, he’s playing the best football of his career, and as examples like Aaron Rodgers, Philip Rivers and Matthew Stafford show, a quarterback with his style can have another decade at the top in today’s NFL.
His performance in the NFC championship game against Stafford’s Rams was particularly telling and, in the author’s view, silenced many skeptics. Darnold now stands one step away from a fairy-tale transformation from “Cinderella” to champion. If he wins the Super Bowl, comparisons to Dilfer will likely give way to comparisons with Steve Young, who also endured a difficult start with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before becoming a star and champion with the San Francisco 49ers. Of course, for that comparison to stick Darnold will need more than one victory — he’ll need to build a sustained successful career. For now, his story is a powerful reminder that labels applied early in a professional athlete’s career don’t always determine the final chapter. His difficult road has led to a single game that decides everything, and a win there would forever change the narrative about Sam Darnold, turning him from a symbol of unmet expectations into the hero of one of the most inspiring sports stories.
Shooting in Seattle’s historic district: one dead, three injured
Another tragedy struck downtown Seattle, once again prompting city residents to confront the problem of violence. Early Sunday morning in the historic Pioneer Square neighborhood, a shooting left one person dead and three others with injuries of varying severity.
According to a report from the Seattle Police Department, the incident occurred around 1:30 a.m. in the Sinking Ship parking lot at 515 2nd Avenue. Preliminary investigation indicates the shooting followed a verbal altercation that quickly escalated into a physical fight and then a shooting involving multiple people. One man suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the head and was pronounced dead at the scene. Another man with severe, life-threatening injuries and a woman with a grazing gunshot wound were taken by ambulance to Harborview Medical Center. Later, a fourth victim with a grazing wound arrived at the same hospital on his own. A grazing wound is an injury where a bullet does not deeply penetrate the body but skims the skin or superficial tissue, leaving a graze. While such wounds are considered less dangerous, they still require medical attention.
At the time of publication, suspects in the shooting had not been detained. Police say two people were arrested at the scene afterward for disorderly conduct. A Seattle Police Department spokesperson was unable to provide immediate additional comments Sunday morning. This incident was the second serious shooting in the city in less than 48 hours: on Friday, two teens were shot dead at a bus stop in the Rainier Valley area. Police are asking anyone with information about the Pioneer Square shooting to contact the Violent Crimes tip line at 206-233-5000.
These events underscore a troubling trend of rising street violence in Seattle. The incident occurred in a historic and busy neighborhood, raising concerns about public safety even at night. The lack of arrests in the shooting and the rapid escalation from an ordinary argument to the use of a firearm are particularly alarming. The consequences of such tragedies go beyond crime statistics, affecting residents’ sense of security and calling on authorities not only to act quickly in investigations but also to develop comprehensive strategies to prevent violence.
