Sargassum Tracker

USF OOL Long Term Outlook

Mar 31, 2026
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In March 2026, Sargassum continued to grow and move to the west, resulting in increased Sargassum in every region. 2026 is set to be another major Sargassum year, and likely a record year. Further details can be found in the attached bulletin.

USF Sargassum Outlook 2026 - Bulletin 03

As predicted last month, Sargassum continued to grow and move to the west, resulting in increased Sargassum amounts in every region shown in the map. Except for the E Atlantic region, every region continued to see record-high Sargassum amounts for March. The distribution map continued to show three separated large masses in the E Atlantic, W Atlantic, and the W Caribbean (including the Gulf), respectively. Major beaching events appear to have occurred in the W Caribbean (e.g., Belize, Honduras, and the Mexican Caribbean coast) and around the Lesser Antilles islands.

SARGASSUM ABUNDANCE INTENSITY

Details

Looking ahead: Sargassum amounts in most regions will continue to increase in the coming month. Beaching events in both the W Caribbean and the E Caribbean will continue. The Florida Keys and the southeast coast of Florida will likely see moderate beaching events in the coming month as Sargassum in the Gulf will continue to be transported to these locations. The year 2026 is set to be another major Sargassum year (i.e., Sargassum amount exceeds 75% of the historical values), and likely to be a record year by summer 2026. All previous monthly bulletins, as well as daily imagery, can be found under the Sargassum Watch System (SaWS). Meanwhile, we will keep a close eye on Sargassum changes in all regions.

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Disclaimer

The information bulletin is meant to provide a general outlook of current bloom condition and future bloom probability for the Caribbean Sea. By no means should it be used for commercial purpose, or used for predicting bloom conditions for a specific location or beach. The authors of this bulletin, as well as Caricoos, USF and NASA, take no responsibility for improper use or interpretation of the bulletin. Any use of the image, data, or graph from this bulletin page in reports or publications should obtain permission from the USF OOL group.