Where is sargassum washing up right now? Daily-updated seaweed conditions for 80+ beaches — sourced from USF satellite data and live local reports.
Last updated: June 1, 2026
🛰️ 2026 Season Outlook
According to the University of South Florida Sargassum Watch System (USF SaWS) March 2026 bulletin, every major region tracked except the East Atlantic hit record-high sargassum amounts for the month. Three separate large masses are drifting westward across the East Atlantic, West Atlantic, and Western Caribbean. Current biomass measurements suggest summer 2026 could surpass 2022's previous record of 24 million metric tons.
Bottom line for travelers: 2026 is on track to be one of the worst sargassum years on record. Choosing the right destination — and the right side of the island — matters more than ever.
📍 Regional Severity — June 2026
Region
Status
Severity
Most Affected Spots
Mexican Caribbean
Major beaching events
🔴 High
Tulum, Playa del Carmen, Cancun (east-facing beaches)
Lesser Antilles
Moderate–Major beaching
🔴 High
Barbados, St. Lucia, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Antigua
Greater Antilles
Periodic beaching
🟡 Moderate
DR east coast, Puerto Rico east coast, Jamaica south coast
Florida SE Coast & Keys
Moderate beaching via Gulf Stream
🟡 Moderate
Key West, Miami Beach, Fort Lauderdale
Alabama & Florida Panhandle
Arriving — local beach wrack
🟡 Moderate
Dauphin Island, Gulf Shores, 30A/Seaside
Aruba & ABC Islands
Moderate arrivals
🟡 Moderate
Aruba (Eagle Beach), Curaçao (sheltered)
Bahamas
Minor arrivals on exposed shores
🟢 Low
Atlantic-facing shores only; Nassau mostly clear
Pacific Mexico
Unaffected — different ocean basin
🟢 None
Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán — zero sargassum
US Gulf Coast West
Minimal regional watch
🟢 Low
South Padre Island, Galveston
🏖️ Live Conditions by Destination
Updated every morning from live local reports, beach flag data, and satellite monitoring. Click any destination for full conditions.
🌴 Caribbean — Sargassum Hotspots
☀️ Florida & Gulf Coast
✅ Reliably Clear Destinations
✅ Consistently Low / No Sargassum
🇲🇽 Cabo San Lucas — Pacific coast, zero Atlantic sargassum
🇲🇽 Puerto Vallarta — Pacific coast, unaffected
🇧🇧 Bayahibe, DR — protected bay, minimal arrivals
🇦🇼 Curaçao — west-facing shores sheltered
🇦🇬 Antigua — mostly leeward beaches clear
🇧🇧 Barbuda — remote, near-zero arrivals
🇫🇯 Bora Bora — South Pacific, entirely unaffected
🇹🇭 Koh Samui — Indian Ocean, no Atlantic sargassum
⚠️ Highest Sargassum Risk Right Now
🇲🇽 Tulum — east-facing, worst in Mexico
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen — Medium–High consistently
🇲🇽 Cancun (east beaches) — Medium–High
🇩🇴 Punta Cana — east coast DR, ongoing arrivals
🇯🇲 Jamaica south coast — periodic heavy events
🇧🇧 Barbados — major beaching events
🌊 Dauphin Island AL — sargassum arrived June 1
🌊 30A / Seaside FL — sargassum washing ashore
🧠 What Every Traveler Should Know
📅
Peak Season
Sargassum peaks May–August. Travel in January–March or October–November for the lightest arrivals.
🧭
Windward vs Leeward
Sargassum beaches on the east-facing (windward) side. The west (leeward) coasts of most Caribbean islands see far less. Book leeward beaches.
🏨
Ask Your Resort
Large all-inclusives in Mexico and Barbados run daily beach-cleaning crews. Ask specifically about sargassum barriers — "beach maintenance" is not the same thing.
😷
Health Considerations
Decomposing sargassum releases hydrogen sulfide (rotten-egg smell). Avoid beaches during heavy influx if you have respiratory conditions. Generally not dangerous to healthy adults.
📸
Don't Trust Instagram
Conditions change in 24–48 hours. A photo from a week ago — or even yesterday — can look completely different from what you'll find on arrival.
⏰
Check 24–48 Hours Out
This site updates every morning. Check the day before and morning of travel for the most accurate current conditions.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Yes — 2026 is tracking toward a record or near-record year. USF SaWS satellite data shows every major Atlantic region except one hit record-high biomass in March 2026. Expect persistent major beaching in the Mexican Caribbean, Lesser Antilles, and periodic arrivals on Florida's southeast coast through summer.
Destinations consistently protected include Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta (Pacific coast — entirely different ocean), Bayahibe in the Dominican Republic (protected bay), the leeward (west) shores of most Caribbean islands including Curaçao and Aruba's west beaches, and remote islands like Barbuda. In the Bahamas, Nassau's west-facing beaches are mostly clear. The key rule: west-facing and Pacific-coast beaches receive far less sargassum than east-facing Atlantic shores.
Sargassum in the Caribbean typically peaks between May and August, then tapers off through September and October. By November and December, most beaches are significantly cleaner. January through March is historically the lowest-risk window, though 2026's early arrivals (confirmed in January and March) suggest even the off-season can see surprise events in heavy years.
Floating sargassum in the water is generally safe to swim through for healthy adults — it's not toxic or harmful on contact. The main concerns are: (1) decomposing sargassum on shore releases hydrogen sulfide gas, which smells like rotten eggs and can irritate the airways for people with asthma or respiratory conditions; (2) dense mats offshore can entangle swimmers and be unpleasant. Always check local flag conditions — red flags may be posted due to surf, not sargassum.
Yes — Cancun's Hotel Zone faces east toward the Atlantic and receives regular sargassum arrivals during the May–August peak. The north end of the Hotel Zone (Playa Mujeres, Isla Mujeres) faces more northwest and is typically less affected. Cozumel's west coast is almost always clear. For Cancun trips, ask your hotel specifically about their beach cleaning program and check conditions 24 hours before arrival.
Yes, though it varies significantly by location. The Florida Gulf Coast (Clearwater, Siesta Key, Destin, 30A) occasionally sees beach wrack — sargassum that drifts in via Gulf currents. As of June 2026, Dauphin Island AL and 30A/Seaside FL have confirmed sargassum arrivals. South Florida (Key West, Miami Beach, Fort Lauderdale) receives Atlantic sargassum via the Gulf Stream — Key West sees moderate arrivals in peak months. The Emerald Coast (Destin, Fort Walton, Pensacola) has low regional risk but is not immune. Check the live destination cards above for current levels.
Live destination data: Daily conditions for each beach are updated every morning using a combination of NWS marine forecasts, NOAA buoy data, official local beach flag reports, and on-the-ground social media monitoring (lifeguard services, local meteorologists, beach management pages).
Update frequency: This page and all destination conditions update daily at approximately 9 AM UTC. For research use, always refer to the primary USF SaWS bulletins.
🌊 Check Live Conditions for Your Beach
Flag color, water temp, rip current risk, and seaweed level — updated every morning for 80+ beaches worldwide.