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In June 2026, the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt recorded the second-highest Sargassum abundance in satellite records, trailing only 2025, with the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico both reaching unprecedented levels. The western Caribbean contained 3.6 million metric tons, the eastern Caribbean 9 million metric tons, and the Gulf of Mexico 5 million metric tons—nearly double its prior record set in 2025. Scientists at the University of South Florida (USF) College of Marine Science attributed the surge to a basin-scale phenomenon with significant local impacts, emphasizing the role of satellite observations in tracking and predicting these changes.

Sargassum serves as critical habitat in open ocean environments, supporting marine life such as turtles, fish, and birds while contributing oxygen through photosynthesis. However, excessive nearshore accumulation can harm ecosystems by tangling and suffocating marine life, smothering corals and seagrasses, and releasing hydrogen sulfide gas on beaches, which poses risks to both wildlife and tourism. Ocean currents and winds influence the belt’s distribution, with Florida’s west coast largely spared this summer while the Keys and east coast experienced higher influxes.

The tracking of Sargassum relies on satellite data from instruments like MODIS on NASA’s Terra and Aqua satellites and VIIRS on NOAA-20, which detect Sargassum by its unique reflectance of near-infrared light. These observations enable scientists to estimate Sargassum density and biomass, revealing long-term trends such as the doubling of Sargassum amounts in the Atlantic every five years since 2011. The trend is linked to factors including ocean warming, nutrient sources, and biological interactions that sustain growth.

NASA’s PACE satellite, launched in February 2024, enhances monitoring with its Ocean Color Instrument (OCI), which provides hyperspectral data for improved detection and discrimination of Sargassum, even in winter months. A 2024 study found OCI offers greater sensitivity and coverage than previous sensors, reducing ambiguity in identifying Sargassum and supporting more accurate near-real-time monitoring and analysis of short-term fluctuations.