If you’re planning on visiting any of South Florida’s beaches this summer, there’s a growing concern to watch out for: a massive wave of Sargassum.
Although sargassum is not unusual in the Atlantic Ocean, Professor Chuanmin Hu of the University of South Florida in Tampa told NBC affiliate WPTV that the size of the current wave – around 1,100 square miles – could set a record this year.
“It’s very important for this time of year,” Hu said. “It’s really big. It’s bigger than the 2018 ones.”
The smell given off by Sargassum has been compared to that of rotten eggs, and Hu said it can irritate bathers, especially those with respiratory problems such as asthmatics.
“People are complaining about it a lot,” said Doug Yoakum, a lifeguard at Lake Worth Beach. “It’s starting to stink and there are a lot of organisms living there, like little fish, jellyfish.”
Some municipalities have called on companies to collect dry Sargassum every day and bury it to reinforce the dunes.
The sargassum wave is expected to hit South Florida beaches by June.