
S3E28 - The Seaweed Crisis Swallowing Our Beaches | The Science Behind the Sargassum Explosion
Published: July 21, 2026
Duration: 44:43
Why are beaches across Florida, the Caribbean, Mexico, and parts of the Gulf Coast being buried under mountains of seaweed and why has it become one of the fastest-growing environmental and economic challenges facing coastal communities?
In this episode of Meteorology Matters, we explore the remarkable story of sargassum, a floating seaweed that serves as a vital offshore ecosystem but becomes a costly problem once it reaches shore. We examine the science behind the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt, how weather patterns and ocean currents control where it accumulates, and why forecasting its arrival remains so challenging.
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