While Cape Cod and much of the eastern United States sweltered under the blanket of a heat wave, Islanders and visitors, though still uncomfortably hot, suffered more from the high humidity this week. Temperatures peaked at 90 degrees, not unusually high for July according to National Weather Service meteorologist Kimberly Buttrick, but the high humidity is unusual.

Tides will run higher and lower than normal this weekend and well into next week and it is tied mostly to two astronomical events.

Friday, July 12: Gray and muggy morning. Temperature rises to the 70s. Threat of rain but none arrives. Little sailboats decorate the waters near the Edgartown Lighthouse. A fleet of sailing dinghies zigzag in the outer Edgartown Harbor, passing around bright floating orange buoys. Farland Square in Oak Bluffs is bustling with pedestrian traffic in the late afternoon.

Friday, July 5:

Hot and sunny. Strong southwest wind. Large and small sailboats handle the winds by reefing their sails. Competitive sailing in the outer waters of Edgartown Harbor. Spinnakers come out in afternoon. Pretty evening. Starry night.

A thin crescent moon next to the bright planet Venus will appear above the horizon right after sunset on Wednesday.

Friday, June 28: Heavy shower in the morning. Dark skies. Foggy. Low altitude clouds overhead. A damp afternoon. Light rain on Main street in Vineyard Haven doesn’t stop shoppers from filling the sidewalks and coming out of the stores. Stores are busy. Ferryboat horn. Skies lighten in the late afternoon.