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Sargassum season on the Caribbean.Today's reading

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Satellite reading

Sargassum today, beach by beach

Floating seaweed off every beach on Mexico's Caribbean coast, from NOAA satellite data, refreshed daily.

The latest satellite reading isn't in yet. Readings refresh daily; until then, see when sargassum season runs.

How this works

What the reading is, and isn't

  • Satellites (NASA's MODIS, processed by the University of South Florida and published by NOAA) map floating algae across the Caribbean. We take the latest 7-day picture and look at the sea within 15 km of each beach.
  • The level is the share of clear-sky sea where floating sargassum showed up: under 0.5% is none seen, then low, moderate and high above 10%.
  • It is weed on the water nearby, not on the sand. Wind, currents and cleanup crews decide what lands, and a beach behind the reef or on the leeward side can stay clear next to a heavy one. Check the local semáforo flag when you arrive.
  • When clouds hide the sea all week there is no reading, and we say so rather than guess. The NOAA dataset.

Before you go

Common questions

When is sargassum season in Mexico?

Sargassum usually builds on the Caribbean side from spring into late summer and eases in autumn and winter. How much arrives varies a lot from year to year, which is why a weekly reading beats a calendar.

Which beaches have the least sargassum?

Beaches facing away from the open sea usually fare best: the west side of Cozumel, Isla Mujeres' Playa Norte and the bay side of Cancún's hotel zone. On the Pacific coast there is no Caribbean sargassum at all.

Does this show the weed on the sand?

No. It shows floating sargassum on the sea near each beach. Wind, currents and cleanup crews decide what lands, so check the local semáforo flag when you get there.