Is there a huge seaweed headed to Florida?

Is there a huge seaweed headed to Florida? A giant blob of seaweed called the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt is floating toward the West Coast of Florida in the Gulf of Mexico. The mass, pictured in the map below, could be an estimated 13.5 million metric tons in 2023 and is known as sargassum. What is that, and what happens as it reaches the coast?

Which Florida beaches will be affected by sargassum?

Will the seaweed blob affect the east coast of Florida?

The concern is the belt will leave large amounts of stinky sargassum seaweed on beaches in the Caribbean, Mexico and along the east coast of Florida. The brown seaweed, which can carry flesh-eating bacteria and make you sick, is known for its smell.

What month is sargassum worse?

Sargassum season in the Mexican Caribbean typically runs from May through October, with July and August generally being the worst months for its arrival.

Is the 5000 blob of seaweed heading to Florida?

A 5,000-mile-wide blob of seaweed is headed for Florida, threatening tourism across the Caribbean. “This is an entirely new oceanographic phenomenon that is creating such a problem — really a catastrophic problem — for tourism in the Caribbean region where it piles up on beaches up to 5 or 6 feet deep,” Lapointe added.

How long will the sargassum seaweed last in Florida?

Florida's seaweed season typically runs from April until October, peaking in June and July. The seaweed comes in waves, depending on currents and wind direction. The seaweed itself is not harmful to humans, but decaying sargassum on beaches releases hydrogen sulfide that can impact people with breathing issues.

Where is the seaweed blob expected to hit Florida?

In April, the seaweed set a record, with scientists identifying 3 million tons of sargassum in the Caribbean Sea. Piles of sargassum seaweed are accumulating on the beaches of Florida's Key West. Scientists say the seaweed is expected to increase even more over the next few months.

Has sargassum hit Florida yet?

Sargassum seaweed washing up on Florida beaches has ebbed to levels normally seen in early fall, even below normal in some areas. The once-anticipated 5,000-mile-wide bog in the Atlantic and Caribbean has rapidly — and mysteriously — disappeared.

Do resorts clean up sargassum?

Popular resort hubs, including Playa del Carmen and Tulum, have ramped up efforts to deter sargassum from affecting travelers. What is this? Both destinations have set up temporary barriers and hired more cleaners in an effort to attract more travelers.

Is sargassum in July 2023?

However due to ocean currents, the amount of seaweed landing on beaches in the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico in June and July 2023 was lower than expected. There's more good news! The sargassum seaweed forecast for September 2023 is minimal seaweed in the Caribbean Sea.

Which caribbean islands are not affected by sargassum 2023?

Is there a sargassum forecast for 2023?

Since 2011, 2023 still ranks in the top half of the worst sargassum seaweed seasons. With the latest data, USF researchers say in June, sargassum will likely decrease in the Gulf of Mexico, meaning beachgoers may not have such a smelly experience. The USF lab forecasts the decrease to continue through August.

Is sargassum bad in July?

Sargassum is at its worst between April and August, peaking in July and August, although this year saw the seaweed arrive early, with some beaches being hit heavily in March. What is this?

What is the sargassum problem 2023?

2023 is shaping up to be a banner year for sargassum, a type of brown macroalgae now starting to wash up on beaches across the Caribbean. The thick dead tangled heaps of seaweed stink like rotten eggs and could cost many millions in holiday revenues this summer.