Sargassum Tracker

USF OOL Long Term Outlook

Apr 30, 2026
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The trend in the last few months has continued, resulting in increased Sargassum amounts in every region. Nearly every region also continued to see record-high Sargassum amounts for the month of April. Further details can be found in the attached bulletin.

USF Sargassum Outlook 2026 - Bulletin 04

By mid-April, Sargassum had spread to the entire Caribbean Sea, with substantial amounts transported to the Gulf. Major beaching events must have occurred across the Caribbean and the Lesser Antilles. Moderate beaching events have also occurred along the southeast coast of Florida.

SARGASSUM ABUNDANCE INTENSITY

Details

Looking ahead: the amount of Sargassum in most regions will continue to increase in the coming months. Beaching events around the Caribbean and the southeast coast of Florida will continue and likely increase. Some beaching events may also occur around the Louisiana and Texas coasts. 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.