SEA

Florida beaches overrun by sargassum seaweed: photos

Florida has a serious problem with algae, which is spilling onto beaches especially on the south coast. Many bathers are alerted and complain of problems such as irritation and respiratory problems.

A typical autumn phenomenon, this year it is happening in the spring. Climate change is one of the main causes of the presence of algae on the coasts of Florida, with warmer and less salty waters causing once unthinkable phenomena, as happened this year in many parts of the U.S. state.

Truly impressive, however, what happened at Fort Lauderdale on March 16. Watching is believing.

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Florida beaches overrun by sargassum seaweed: photos
Florida has a serious problem with algae, which is spilling onto the beaches especially on the south coast. Many bathers are alarmed and complain of problems such as irritation and respiratory problems. A typical autumn phenomenon, this year it is happening in the spring. Climate change is one of the main causes of the presence of algae on Florida's coasts, with warmer and less salty waters causing once unthinkable phenomena, as happened this year in many parts of the American state. Very impressive, however, what happened in Fort Lauderdale on 16 March. Watching is believing.
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Florida beaches overrun by sargassum seaweed: photos
Swimmers and birds walk by the seaweed that washed up on March 16, 2023 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
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Florida beaches overrun by sargasso seaweed: photos
Reports indicate that this summer a huge mass of sargassum that has formed in the Atlantic Ocean is likely headed for the coasts of Florida and the Gulf of Mexico coasts.
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Florida beaches overrun by sargassum seaweed: photos
Sargassum, a type of naturally occurring macroalgae, spans more than 5,000 miles.
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Florida beaches overrun by sargassum seaweed: photos
Across Florida, in this early 2023, we are witnessing "red tide," an abnormal bloom of toxic red algae. Toxic algae form offshore, then currents pull them ashore and here they then begin to rot. Meanwhile from the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, additional substances rise to the surface in a process known as "upwelling".
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Florida beaches overrun by sargasso seaweed: photos
The Washington Post discusses climate change as the main reason for this phenomenon, which normally occurs between autumn and winter. Warmer water and extreme ocean storms lead to more rainwater runoff. In fact, this year, the sea in Florida has been experiencing much higher than normal temperatures, 5 to 10 degrees above average.
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