Florida’s First Coast could be especially nasty this summer. This year, the Atlantic seaweed sargassum may be especially abundant.
Join our Facebook group to see what locals in Florida are posting. Latest photos and videos of Sargassum Seaweeds in FL
Recent Update on Seaweed Situation In Florida
On January 15, 2024, another record blob sargassum was measured in the Central Atlantic Ocean
Scientists from the University of South Florida have noted a substantial increase in sargassum (a type of seaweed) in the Central Atlantic near the Caribbean Sea. By December 2023 the mass of the sargassum had reached almost 5 million metric tonnes, an increase of over 1 million metric ton recorded in the same period the year before.
This is a new record for the area. Researchers predict that despite a 15% decline in May 2023 from the record high of 22 millions metric tons set in 2022, 2024 will be another significant year for sargassum.
The majority of this seaweed is currently located approximately 500 miles east from the Caribbean Sea. Significant blooms have also been observed near Venezuela’s Orinoco River and are affecting Trinidad and Tobago and areas in the southern Caribbean Sea.
REPORTS & UPDATES FOR SEAWEED SEASON 2023/
August 18: Seaweed photos and news from Florida
The Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt, a foul-smelling, massive seaweed, arrived on Florida’s beaches last spring.
There is good news, however, as scientists at the University of South Florida Optical Oceanography Lab have found that the seaweed belt has shrunk by 75% in just one month.
Updates and photos from different areas in Florida. Join our Facebook group ” Florida Sargassum Updates,” to ask questions about particular areas of interest. Seaweed is mostly found in the southern part of Florida and Key West.
