Live satellite outlook
Is sargassum heading for the coast?
A daily satellite read on where sargassum is sitting offshore and the Atlantic belt drifting our way — so you can see what's coming before it lands.
About this forecast
Where these maps come from
These are real satellite observations showing where sargassum is offshore, how likely it is to reach the coast, and in what quantity. It complements the beach-by-beach status on our live map.
Source. Two NOAA satellite products, both from the Atlantic Oceanographic & Meteorological Laboratory (AOML) and NOAA CoastWatch, in collaboration with the University of South Florida: the AFAI density fields (where the seaweed is, at sea) and the Sargassum Inundation Risk (SIR) maps (how likely it is to reach the coast).
How it's made. Satellites (NASA/NESDIS) measure a floating-algae index (AFAI) across the ocean each day — that's the density view. NOAA's risk algorithm then reads those values within 50–100 km of each stretch of coast and classifies the inundation risk into four levels — low, warning, medium, high. Arrows show the ocean currents pushing it along.
What it is — and isn't. This is a regional risk outlook, refreshed daily. It is not an hourly feed and not a guarantee for any single beach — for that, use our live map and on-the-ground reports.
NOAA AOML & CoastWatch
Sargassum Inundation Risk (SIR) — the daily risk maps. View source ›
USF & NOAA Atlantic OceanWatch
Floating-algae density (AFAI) — the field behind both views, distributed openly by NOAA. View data ›
Sargazo Watch
Beach-level status, photos & live cams — on our main map.
Right now · at sea
Where the sargassum is today
A satellite density view of floating sargassum across the Yucatán and the Mexican Caribbean. Brighter colours mean denser mats on the surface — this is the seaweed itself, out at sea, before it reaches any coast. The map's own colour scale is shown on the side.
Brighter = denser sargassum. The gridded boxes and colour scale are part of the source map.
Right now · at the coast
The risk to the Mexican Caribbean coast
Where sargassum is concentrated around the Yucatán Channel — Cancún, Isla Mujeres, Cozumel and the Riviera Maya, with Cuba and Florida for context. Red means a high chance of it reaching the coast; blue means low.
Source: NOAA AOML / CoastWatch SIR · open the live NOAA view ›
Reading what's coming
Sargassum reaches the Lesser Antilles first, then currents carry it west across the Caribbean. What's lighting up red there today is an early signal for the Mexican coast roughly 2–4 weeks from now — weather and currents permitting.
Historical · at sea
Density over the last six months
The floating-sargassum density across the region, month by month — watch the belt build and drift toward the coast through the season. Each panel opens the source.
Historical · at the coast
Coastal risk over the last six months
Coastal risk for the Mexican Caribbean, month by month. Each panel links to that day's full NOAA report.
Imagery: Sargassum density from NOAA Atlantic OceanWatch (AFAI fields, data by the University of South Florida); coastal risk from NOAA's Sargassum Inundation Risk (SIR), produced by NOAA/AOML and NOAA CoastWatch with USF. Satellite data courtesy NASA/NESDIS. Both are experimental products subject to validation and are regional indicators, not a guarantee of conditions at any specific beach. © Sargazo Watch for page design and commentary.