Giant Floating Bloom Of Sargassum Seaweed Will Likely Be Largest Ever Recorded

By Aliza Chasan, CBS Miami

April 5, 2023

A mass of Sargassum seaweed floating toward the West Coast of Florida in the Gulf of Mexico will likely be the largest ever recorded, the University of South Florida said Friday.

The Sargassum bloom is expected to increase in size, with the quantity likely peaking in June or July. Major beaching events are "inevitable" along the east coast of Florida, the ocean side of the Florida Keys and around the Caribbean, researchers at the college said. While the exact timing is difficult to predict, major impacts are expected throughout the next few months.

Beaching on Florida will come down to wind, wave and tidal conditions, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA.)

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