Giant seaweed blob that threatened Florida has shrunk by 75%
by Joe Fisher
Washington DC (UPI) Jul 9, 2023

The giant mass of seaweed that threatened the Florida coast this spring has gotten drastically smaller in the last month.

The Great Atlantic Sargassum Seaweed Belt shrunk by 75% in the last month, researchers from the University of South Florida said.

The decrease in the blob's size was more than expected, and the amount of Sargassum in the Gulf of Mexico is expected to remain minimal.

The Sargassum blob presented a health hazard and nuisance for Florida in the spring, threatening to greatly hamper tourism. Along with its foul smell, it can harbor jellyfish.

Sargassum typically begins to decline in July, CNN reported. The earlier-than-expected decrease likely signals the end of the Sargassum season in Florida.

"This trend may continue in the next 2-3 months, which should be good news to the residents living in the Florida Keys and east coast of Florida as well as in the west coast of the [Caribbean Sea]," the report by USF reads.

"Nevertheless, impacts of Sargassum beaching events will continue to be felt throughout some of the eastern [Caribbean Sea] and possibly western [Caribbean Sea] regions, although it is difficult to predict exact timing and location for individual beaching events."

It is unclear what led to the surprising early decline of Sargassum. Factors like the presence of nutrients, rainfall and wind can play a role in its growth or decline.

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