Currently in Boston — June 21, 2023: More sunshine Wednesday.

The weather, currently.

After a partly cloudy overnight temperatures will start Wednesday in the 50s. During the afternoon readings will reach the low to mid-70s at the coast and perhaps near 80 West of Route 495. It will also be dry and continue that way for Thursday with a mix of clouds and sunshine fading behind thickening clouds. With the cloud cover will only reach near 70. Friday sees an increase in humidity and the chance for a few more showers although not everybody will get rain. It will be in the lower and middle seventies. Over the weekend look for a lot of clouds and some chance for showers. More details on the timing tomorrow.

— Dave Epstein

What you need to know, currently.

The summer solstice is one of my favorite holidays, celebrating the peak of life — both its warmth and its impermanence. Some version of the solstice is celebrated in nearly every culture, whether it’s block parties and barbeque, or holding hands around a bonfire in Scandanavia. It’s the fleetingness of life, of course, that makes it so special. That is what the solstice is all about.

Solstice comes from the Latin words sol (Sun) and sistere (to stand still). It’s a moment when the sun literally stands still in the sky in relation to the other stars, and happens twice per year when Earth’s axis of rotation tilts to its most extreme point — 23.44 degrees.

In June, the Earth’s axis tilts towards the sun, creating 24-hours of daylight for places north of the Arctic Circle, and 24-hours of darkness for places south of the Antarctic Circle. Everywhere on Earth experiences either their longest or shortest night of the year.

In Sweden, one of the northernmost countries on Earth, the solstice is a major event called midsommar. In Sweden’s capital, Stockholm, the time between sunset and sunrise is only 5 hours and 27 minutes, and parties last all night.

To celebrate this year’s solstice, here’s an excerpt from my friend (and favorite poet)’s newest collection: Ephemera, by Sierra DeMulder.

—Eric Holthaus

What you can do, currently.

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Today we’re starting our annual summer membership drive — with a goal to double our membership base over the next six weeks which will guarantee this service can continue throughout this year’s hurricane season. We’ll need 747 new members by July 31 to make this goal happen.

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Thank you!!