Record sargassum bloom makes "landfall" along coastlines from Florida to Texas

A record flotilla of tens of millions of tons of sargassum is floating across the Atlantic and Caribbean this season, with Florida beaches seeing some of the nation's worst impacts.

Scientists say warmer waters, nutrient-rich currents, and favorable winds are helping drive what could become one of the worst sargassum seasons on record. Leslie Hudson reports from south Florida, where biologists say this year's bloom could become one of the worst on record. Click the Youtube link below to find out why this may be more than a typical summer nuisance.

In the open ocean, sargassum provides habitat for marine life. But once it reaches land and decays in the summer heat, it can release a rotten-egg smell, irritate beachgoers, and create a costly cleanup problem.
As it decays in the summer heat, it releases gases that smell like rotten eggs, can irritate sensitive individuals, and create an unpleasant experience for beachgoers.
And this year, the gulf is part of the forecast too. Researchers say substantial sargassum is already in the Gulf, with potential impacts along Florida, Louisiana and Texas beaches as the summer pattern unfolds.
For many communities, the challenge isn't simply removing it. In places like Florida's space coast, officials often leave the seaweed in place to avoid disturbing protected sea turtle nests.

Scientists will continue monitoring the massive Atlantic sargassum belt throughout the summer, but with hurricane season now underway, forecasters say changing winds, tropical systems, and ocean currents will ultimately determine which beaches see the worst impacts in the weeks ahead.