Scientists are closely monitoring satellite imagery to identify areas where beaching may occur. The city lists them as "fatal water incidents" because officials have said it is not known whether the victims drowned or had another medical emergency in the water. The Sargassum isn't harmful and is actually an important habitat for certain animals that have adapted to rely on the floating algae, such as shrimp, crab, sea turtles. People have been entering waters despite double red flag warnings about extremely hazardous currents. The problems start when it comes on land and starts to rot. Mats of Sargassum, which is technically algae, have been observed for centuries, but researchers started noticing abnormally large accumulations in 2011. This is different that what is occurring in Panama City Beach. Floating mats of seaweed accumulate in the central Atlantic Ocean for much of the year. In one of our photo galleries below, you'll see a small "mountain" of sargassum seaweed, and a black dog posing next to it. Seaweed and sargassum are washing up on. Three die in Gulf of Mexico rip currents off Panama City Beach Find excellent savings on pet food and supplies for Prime Day. The bloom of sargassum, a type of seaweed that smells like rotten eggs when it washes ashore and can cause breathing issues, reached record size in March an estimated 13 million tons, University of South Florida (USF) researchers said. Spivey leads a team of about a dozen seasonal lifeguards . NOAA updates its sargassum risk map every week, which you can find here if you want to keep track of the blob. On some beaches in Florida, the "blobs" of crunchy, dry, brown stinky seaweed are fairly large. the neighborhood (50 km) of each coastal pixel and, computing the difference between those values The reason its been growing over the years has mostly to do with chemicals associated with fertilizers and what have you, Wool said. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. It's tricky to predict the exact timing of the seaweed's movement, but the sargassum is expected to really start washing up in late spring and early summer, said Chuanmin Hu, who tracks the belt as a researcher at USF's College of Marine Science. Florida this year leads the U.S. in surf zone deaths, with 27, according to the weather service list. The immense blooms have continued to grow almost every year, in large part because of excessive, nutrient-rich runoff from the Congo, Amazon and Mississippi rivers. Scientists say they spotted more than 13 million tons of Sargassum, a yellowish-brown seaweed, drifting in the Atlantic Ocean last month a record for the month of March. The pleas follow three swimming deaths in one day last Saturday, bringing the total number of fatalities to seven just in the past nine days. Playa del Carmen "suffers" the massive arrival of sargassum See How Big They Are. It's tricky to predict the exact timing of the seaweed's movement, but the sargassum is expected to really start washing up in late spring and early summer, said Chuanmin Hu, who tracks the belt. "The Gulf is a very dynamic environment, so (if) the wind blows for a while and the waves pick up, the (amounts of) sea grass and the sea life fluctuate. It also rakes the beach twice a week from March 5 to May 22, three times a week from May 23 to Sept. 10 and two times a week from Sept. 11 to Oct. 14. Two beachgoers walk past a large pile of seaweed on a beach with the ocean on the right and high-rise buildings on the left in the distance. PCB has experienced an abnormal number of double red flags over the past couple weeks. Beachgoers walk past seaweed that washed ashore on March 16, 2023 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The deaths come as strong rip currents fast-moving currents generated by deep channels plague the waters off the coast of Panama City Beach. 16 2023, Published 1:22 p.m. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. 1 asset in the destination, so it is important to keep (them) clean and pristine through beach maintenance.". It seems that's the case with some people, and others don't mind it. Last modified on Thu 16 Mar 2023 12.38 EDT It's brown, it weighs millions of tons, it stretches over 5,000 miles and it is headed for Florida's beaches. Only the portion between Panama City and Mobile Bay may receive some variable amount of seaweed, and this will be later in the year (perhaps May) if it does happen, Hu told Nexstar. Panama City Beach leads the nation in 2023 beach deaths as 3 - Yahoo Saturdays slew of deaths made Panama City Beach the deadliest beach in America this year, according to the National Weather Service. A number of recent drownings have propelled Panama City Beach into the top spot as the deadliest beach in America. The Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt grew to an estimated 13.5 million metric tons of seaweed this spring. Its hard to predict how much will creep onto beaches in the coming months, but the right combination of ocean currents and wind conditions could push a lot of it ashore, experts said. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Why are they so dangerous? The first fatal incident on Saturday occurred about noon near Days Inn by Wyndham Panama City Beach at 12818 Front Beach Road. Panama City Beach, Florida. Giant blobs of seaweed are hitting Florida. That's when the real Here's where it's going and when it will be worst, Seaweed season?Giant mats of seaweed lurk off Florida coast and have beached in spurts but will peak soon, Oy!Sargassum, a smelly seaweed, may be coming soon to a Gulf beach near you. THE HILL 1625 K STREET, NW SUITE 900 WASHINGTON DC 20006 | 202-628-8500 TEL | 202-628-8503 FAX. CoastWatch News 2023 04 04 Sargassum FAQ The Caribbean overcame significant challenges in 2022 as Sargassum washed ashore in unprecedented amounts. "I'm sure there's folks that are more hesitant to get in the water with it. Certainly its a little bit alarming to hear of a band of it as big as this but its quite a long way away from here so if it comes this way, well deal with it if we need to but its a long way off yet, Sale said. From what I know of these incidents, they knew the dangers and they chose to go in.. We will continue to try and educate the public about the hazards of rip currents, but unfortunately some of them choose to still ignore those warnings and go in the water, Casto said. pic.twitter.com/jmJH6Y1PpN, Government and law enforcement can only do so much in these situations, Ford continued. By law, the Sargassum cant be harvested until it reaches the shore, because it provides crucial environmental benefits for many marine species. Of those, six were in Bay County, Florida with 5 of those in Panama City Beach, all occurring since June 15th. The release also states that over the past 10 days, there were reports of 70 distressed swimmers, about 40 of which happened on Saturday. Sargassum that has washed up onto the beach decomposes and smells like rotten eggs. Like any type of cooking, your grilling experience largely depends on the tools at your disposal. Sadly - the beach turned deadly for 3 people in Panama City Beach, FL. Best grill tools to take your BBQ to the next level. When it does start to arrive en masse, the biggest impact will be to the southeast coast of Florida, from Miami to Palm Beach, and the ocean side of the Florida Keys, Hu said. "The beaches are our No. Disclaimer:This is an experimental product and still subject to validation by NOAA/AOML, NOAA/CoastWatch/OceanWatch, and USF. Sargassum Seaweed 2023 Forecast: Where the Stinky Algae Will Appear 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. Some Caribbean islands have seen huge amounts of the brown algae inundate beaches during Sargassum season, posing worrisome respiratory health risks to residents exposed to the hydrogen sulfide, according to a 2018 study. The first is local blooms, which typically peak in April and May. Lacee Rudd, spokeswoman for Visit Panama City Beach, said that since the seaweed often mixes with trash when it washes ashore, "it is picked up (off the sand) and disposed of when the beaches are raked.". Three die in Gulf of Mexico rip currents off Panama City Beach With 7 such deaths so far this year, the Florida Panhandle city leads the U.S. in surf zone fatalities in 2023, the National Weather . Seasonal sargassum blooms have exploded in the tropical Atlantic over the past decade and more. Flags are back to yellow today on some Gulf Coast beaches. The seaweed comes in waves, depending on currents and wind direction. It can irritate peoples eyes, nose and throat, and trigger breathing issues for people with asthma. Tue 7 Mar 2023 01.00 EST Last modified on Thu 16 Mar 2023 12.29 EDT S eaweed has been having a moment. PANAMA CITY BEACH A type of seasonal algae littering beaches across Florida now has made its way to Panama City Beach. generated by the University of South Florida (USF), the algorithm analyses the AFAI values in All rights reserved. Floridians know sargassum seaweed like Northerners know snow. "The conditions at the time were severe, with double red flags indicating extreme water hazards," the release reads. Get involved at upcoming cleanup. huc@usf.edu. Florida Seaweed Problem 2023: Everything You Need to Know Before You As Sargassum is transported from the CWA to the CS, the latter is likely to have moderate amount of Sargassum in February 2022 while the GoM may still be largely free of Sargassum . In the Gulf of Mexico, there are two sources of sargassum, NOAA researchers explain. 1:22. By filling out the survey below and uploading your pictures onto this NOAA/AOML Reporting Form, you can help scientists improve Sargassum monitoring and research. All rights reserved. These events can cause significant economic, environmental and public health harm. Check out our recommendations. "During winter months they typically stay rather low. Gustavo.Goni@noaa.gov, Chuanmin Hu 0:00 0:33 Substantial s argassum is expected in June in both the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico, according to the May report from the University of South Florida. While the clumps of sargassum seaweed are not toxic, they tend to smell like rotten eggs as they decay. Ormond Beach, Florida - 7.48/10 danger . Recommended Last Planting Date for Grain Sorghum Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Outlook of 2023 Sargassumblooms in the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico* March 1, 2023, by University of South Florida Optical Oceanography Lab (bbarnes4@usf.edu, yuyuan@usf.edu, huc@usf.edu) The maps below show Sargassumabundance, with warm colors representing higher values. As shown on June 9, sargassum seaweed is starting to show up along the sand in Panama City Beach. The mass can be seen in satellite images taken from space (below). A giant seaweed bloom that can be seen from space threatens beaches in Florida and Mexico. On the second offense, that fine rises to $1,000, though the ordinance does require a warning before any citations are issued. Our visuals paint quite a picture of the ickiness and reality of sargassum seaweed on our shores. Mar. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. This January already set a record for all previous January months." Dr. Chuanmin Hu, who studies sargassum and works at the University of South Florida, says: "Sargassum peaks in summer, in June in July, there is no exception," explains Hu. Such a decrease for this time of the year never occurred in history since the first year (2011) of the GASB, they wrote. Brian Lapointe, a researcher at Florida Atlantic Universitys Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, told CNN he believes the activity will peak in July. It's really just seaweed.Sargassum bloom not all bad as it creates habitat, absorbs carbon. Jun 27, 2023, 03:10 PM EDT. See for yourself!Florida beach live webcams show surf, waves, sargassum seaweed conditions, Instagram-worthy pics:Sargassum seaweed 'blobs' at Florida beaches. Massive sargassum seaweed bloom takes surprising turn Sargassum aside, this seaweed is nothing to scoff at. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Status: May 30-Jun 5, 2023 Since 2011, large accumulations of Sargassum is a recurrent problem in the Caribbean Sea, in the Gulf of Mexico and tropical Atlantic. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. The challenge has since extended to the contiguous United States as the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt drifts towards Florida. Adding wallpaper to your bathroom can be a great way to dress it up with a new look. Coastal Parasail picks up trash throughout that area two times a day between March 5 and Oct. 14. "We maintain a vigorous beach raking schedule in Panama City Beach during our peak seasons," Rudd wrote in an email. All seven are listed by the National Weather Service as involving rip currents, which are powerful currents that can carry people away from shore. Tangles of the goopy, leafy seaweed have already begun to wash ashore beaches in southern Florida and Mexico. It's in the water, on the shore, surrounding beachgoers who just want to play in the sand. The three people died in separate water incidents in the Gulf of Mexico near three different resorts Saturday afternoon, the Panama City Beach Police Department said in a statement. What to know about it, Contributing: George Petras, Jennifer Borresen, USA TODAY. Less than a half hour to the northwest in Walton County, one person died on Thursday in similar conditions at Blue Mountain Beach and another died Saturday at Miramar Beach, the second this year on that beach, according to the NWS. These experimental Sargassum Inundation Risk (SIR) fields (NEXSTAR) A giant seaweed belt twice the width of the United States has its sights set on Florida, where it could wreak havoc as it washes ashore. From the pictures I'm seeing, it looks more concentrated (in areas) to the west of us.". The small creatures that live inside it, like jellyfish larvae, could sting or cause your skin to itch. 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We Should Talk: Arborist speaks on severe weather, More than 30 people rescued from Bay County waters, Old Cinema 10 in Destin used as fire training building, Families fighting childhood cancer heal spirits in, HERricane week shows young women inside the world, US arrests 4 Mexican nationals in 2022 deaths of, Golden anniversary turns tragic as couple, relative, Deputies accused of abusing Black men are fired by, Canadian wildfires are causing the worst air in the, UN urges Israel and Palestinians to halt West Bank, EPA retreats on Louisiana investigations that alleged, We Should Talk: Liberty County helps Hosford recover,, We Should Talk: 10 years of free meals for Panama, Tour a nearly $8 million house on 30A and raise money, 160 kids learn water rescue skills in Junior Lifeguard, Buzz finds a new home after being dumped in shelter, We Should Talk: Gulf Coast Jam ends, prepares for, Freeport man dies walking across 331 bridge, FHP, We Should Talk: A look at Pride Month on the Panhandle, Fox News urges tourists to change travel plans, calls, Panama City Beachs rip currents explained, WCSO: Two people died in drowning incidents in three, Deadly beach weekend leaves 5 dead in Bay and Walton, BestReviews.com - Top gifts to make everyone happy this summer, Popular products that are a must-have for the Fourth, 11 dad shoes and other accessories that are perfect, Best Fourth of July deals to shop this year, The trendiest Fathers Day gifts that will still, Treat your dad with these great Fathers Day gifts, Detroit neurosurgeon shot, dragged naked into attic:, Rubio: Recent UFO whistleblower isnt the only one, We are not alone: The UFO whistleblower speaks, Largest nurses strike in Texas, Kansas begins Tuesday, New Jersey man has flown 23M miles with lifetime, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Like any type of cooking, your grilling experience largely depends on the tools at your disposal. But, usually, there's less of it. Largest-yet seaweed bloom headed to Florida and Caribbean - EarthSky We rake our beaches three times a week. Florida shark attacks, hurricanes rank 7 Florida beaches on new list Panama City Beach leads the nation in 2023 beach deaths as 3 more - MSN The precision of satellite analysis allows the researchers to quantify the actual change in color in a specific pixel, which can then be used to calculate the amount of biomass. Sargassum seaweed is not a new phenomena, but this year's mass is the largest ever recorded. A rip current warning is currently in effect for Walton, Bay and Gulf counties. PDF January February March April - University of South Florida Tourism is exploding:March 2022 claims title as busiest March in Panama City Beach history. The department also suggests using gloves if you have to handle sargassum and closing windows if you live near the beach to avoid breathing issues and bad smells. environmental and public health harm. In large quantities, sargassum can result in fish kills and red tide, which can disrupt ecosystems and affect humans.