Smelly sargassum seaweed makes return along Fort Lauderdale beaches as spring break vacations wrap up

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Particularly odorous seaweed known as sargassum has made its return to beaches along South Florida's Atlantic-facing coast during the final week of spring break for some U.S. colleges.

Sargassum was spotted on Fort Lauderdale beaches Friday, according to the nonprofit sargassum-tracking company Sargassum Monitoring.

RECORD SARGASSUM LEVELS IMPACTING FLORIDA BEACHES DURING SPRING BREAK

According to NOAA, sargassum rots on beaches and releases hydrogen sulfide gas, which smells like rotten eggs.

FLORIDA FRENZY: SARGASSUM, DEAD DOLPHINS AND COCAINE SHARKS MAKE HEADLINES DURING SPRING BREAK

The Florida Department of Health said hydrogen sulfide can irritate the eyes, nose and throat, which can be particularly problematic for people with asthma and other breathing conditions.

While sargassum has been documented for centuries, it first became a major issue along Florida and Caribbean beaches in 2011 when large rafts of the smelly algae washed up on popular vacation destinations.

Scientists have attributed this to the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt — a giant bloom of seaweed in the Atlantic Ocean that has grown nearly every year since 2011. According to NASA, in March 2023, the amount of Sargassum seaweed in the Belt totaled 13 million tons.

The thick rafts of Sargassum seaweed are then carried by ocean currents and wash onto beaches.

Scientists haven't come to a consensus on the cause of this recent growth.

Some attribute it to increased agricultural runoff from North and South America, as well as Africa, while another popular hypothesis posits that changes in seasonal winds have allowed deep, nutrient-rich water to rise closer to the sea surface where the seaweed grows.

The post Smelly sargassum seaweed makes return along Fort Lauderdale beaches as spring break vacations wrap up appeared first on Fox Weather