Sargassum seaweed has swamped Florida’s iconic white sand beaches with a record 31 million tons this April, transforming Miami into a pungent seaweed showcase and upending travel plans. As nitrogen-fueled blooms choke waterways, scientists call the invasion 'above and beyond' historic norms.

Tourists now dodge clouds of skin-irritating sargassum while marinas report record cleanup costs. Driven by rising ocean temperatures and fertilizer runoff, the Atlantic sargassum bloom is hurting local tourism as beachgoers swap sandcastles for nose plugs and a whiff of organic mayhem.