The low season of the cycle is now higher than the high point of the cycle five or six years ago, says Brian Barnes, a researcher with the University of South Florida's College of Marine Science. What we thought was just a massive bloom has only gotten bigger and bigger and bigger each year, Barnes adds.
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Sargassum season in the Mexican Caribbean typically runs from May through October, with July and August generally being the worst months for its arrival.
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.
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.
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.
The huge blob of seaweed headed for Florida has shrunk by 75% Beachgoers walk past seaweed that washed ashore on March 16, 2023 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Florida vacations are back on, sans stinky seaweed.
Palm Beach in Aruba, Dutch CaribbeanIt's one of the most reliable Caribbean islands without sargassum. While there are several small, boutique-sized hotels in Aruba, here are two of our favourite large resorts on Palm Beach and Eagle Beach.
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.
Massive seaweed bloom is largest seenAnd this year's bloom is the largest on record. As of April 2023, this year's sargassum bloom is headed for the Caribbean and east coast of Florida. While some areas are already seeing the sargassum come ashore, the bulk of it is expected to arrive in June or July.
Additionally, beaches on Florida's east coast, including Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and the Miami Beach area, are also seeing mounds of sargassum wash ashore. According to a report from AccuWeather, it is also impacting the southern regions of Hispaniola as well as areas of Jamaica and Puerto Rico.
7 September 2023 Update: The Turks and Caicos is experiencing medium levels of sargassum at this time. Grace Bay, Leeward Beach, Sapodilla Bay, Taylor Bay, and the Bight Beach remain largely free of sargassum. Sargassum that washed onshore in late August has largely dissipated.
Substantial sargassum is expected in June in both the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico, according to the May report from the University of South Florida. That's no surprise to beachgoers who have been seeing the smelly seaweed on Florida beaches from Pensacola to Brevard County.