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Floridians on the Gulf Coast are facing a “high risk” of irritation because of red tide, the National Weather Service (NWS) said on Monday.
The NWS posted on X, formerly Twitter, that for the next 36 hours, residents around Tampa Bay at some beaches in Pinellas County are at high risk. According to a map posted by the NWS, the impacted areas are north of Clearwater Beach to south of Venice.
Red tide, or Karenia brevis, is a harmful algal bloom (HAB), according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Red Tide can occur “when colonies of algae—plant-like organisms that live in the sea and freshwater—grow out of control while producing toxic or harmful effects on people, fish, shellfish, marine mammals, and birds. The human illnesses caused by HABs, though rare, can be debilitating or even fatal,” the NOAA posted on its website.
Over the next 36 hours, @NOAACoastalSci is forecasting a HIGH risk of respiratory irritation from Karenia brevis (red tide) at some beaches in PINELLAS county. Conditions may vary. For latest updates at individual beaches, see https://t.co/vqAaLYoVUz #flwx
— NWS Tampa Bay (@NWSTampaBay) December 2, 2024
NOAA Oceanographer Richard Stumpf told Newsweek via email that red tide blooms most frequently happen in late fall along the southwest Florida coast.
“An occasional high-risk warning for respiratory irritation during a bloom is not unusual,” Stumpf said. “This usually occurs as a result of wind shifts with fronts passing through the region, which cause winds to blow onshore from the ocean where there is a relatively high concentration of the bloom at a beach.
“However, on most days during this time of year the winds blow offshore [from land to ocean]. This warning is for today, and we should see a shift to offshore winds all along the coast tomorrow. This red tide is extremely patchy, and many areas will not experience a problem even with an onshore wind.”
The NWS urged residents to check for conditions at individual beaches at the Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System’s interactive map.
Meanwhile, Floridians also were hit by an arctic polar front over the weekend that dropped temperatures below freezing in some areas. Some counties are bracing for a freeze warning Monday and Tuesday.
According to a post by the NWS Tallahassee on X: “A dry cold front passes through the area today bringing a reinforcing shot of colder air for tomorrow. This will also keep overnight lows cold for the next few mornings. Later this week, a gradual warm-up as clouds increase ahead of another front.”
The freeze warning could impact vegetation and crops, the NWS said.
“Young children, the elderly and the homeless are especially vulnerable to the cold. Take measures to protect them,” the NWS said for areas around Jacksonville.