Travel
Mexico’s daily seaweed beach photos and updates: Cancun, PDC, Tulum, etc.
By 2024, The sargassum seaweed season in the Cancun region is expected to start earlier than normal, following the 2023 trend when it started in February. Normally the season starts in early spring, caused by rising ocean temperatures, which promote seaweed growth and reproduction.
Beaches most affected by high concentrations of algae include Cozumel, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Sian Ka’an and certain areas between Cancun and Puerto Morelos.
However, it is extremely difficult to accurately predict which beaches will be affected and to what extent, as conditions change almost daily and often without notice.
Read on for the latest information on the sargassum situation on these beaches.
Daily seaweed updates and beach photos in Cancun Area:
April 11, 2024: Massive arrival of seaweed to the Mexican Caribbean starting April 6
Massive seaweed invasions occurred in the Mexican Caribbean. Starting April 6, people started uploading photos to our FB seaweed reporting group with huge amounts of seaweed on the beaches of Playa del Carmen, Puerto Morelos, Tulum, etc. This invasion continues throughout the week and is most likely caused by the higher temperatures in the Caribbean.
Here are some photos from our FB group:
Source: Traveling Lifestyle
March 30, 2024: TULUM video seaweed update
March 19 – 29
Seaweed photo/video reports from Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Cancun
March 18: Latest video and photo reports from the main Playa del Carmen
March 18: The seaweed situation in Riviera Maya in the first two months of 2024 is significantly better than last year
The local government confirmed that the situation in the first two months of 2024 was significantly better than in 2023. According to figures, they collected 1,000 tons of seaweed in January and February 2023, and only 200 tons in 2024. This may be caused by the lower sea temperatures, which are also lower than last year.
We also compared photos of ours FB seaweed reporting groupand the results are clearly noticeable.
2023:
2024:
March 1 – March 8
Latest seaweed photo updates from FB Reporting Group from Cancun, Playacar and Puerto Morelos.
February 21 – February 28
Latest seaweed photo updates from Tulum, Cancun, Hoblox and Puerto Morelos.
February 23: Cancun is buying new ships to deal with the mass arrival of Sargassum seaweed
February 14 – February 20
February 2 – February 6
Latest seaweed photos from Playa del Carmen, Playacar and Cancun
February 5: Cozumel Island receives the first Sargassum arrival of 2024
The bad weather caused a large amount of sargassum to accumulate in front of the Malecon area yesterday afternoon and Thursday, especially between the port of San Miguel and the Fountain of the Buzo, requiring a special deployment of staff from the Municipality of Cozumel. .
When does seaweed season start in Cancun (Mexican Caribbean)?
According to data from the past two years, Cancun’s seaweed season starts in February and peaks between April and August. In some areas near Cancun, such as Playa del Carmen, Cozumel and Puerto Morelos, the peak starts as early as February.
What is seaweed argasso and what causes it?
Sargassum is a type of brown seaweed that floats on the ocean’s surface and is known for forming large clumps or “blooms.” It is distinguished by its green appearance and air-filled bladders that aid in buoyancy.
The recent increase in sargassum blooms, especially in the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, has been attributed to several factors, including nutrient enrichment from agricultural runoff and human waste, climate change and altered ocean currents. These factors contribute to an environment conducive to the rapid growth and accumulation of sargassum, leading to significant ecological and economic impacts on coastal areas.
