Florida Braces for Massive Seaweed Bloom Impact.
A massive buildup of seaweed, tracked for months, has started to wash ashore Florida beaches, with experts warning that the worst could still be ahead. The amount of seaweed in the Atlantic basin was around 6.1 million tons, the second-highest amount ever recorded during February. The seaweed is not harmful to humans, but it can still lead to impacts. Seaweed bloom events can damage Florida’s tourism-heavy economy, and cleaning up the beaches could cost Florida an estimated $120 million. The sargassum is quite different from the red tide event that is simultaneously impacting Florida beaches, mainly along the Gulf Coast.