Tampa/Clearwater spring surge — and seaweed

AAA ranked Tampa fifth on its list of top domestic spring‑break destinations, reflecting the surge in bookings for the Gulf Coast this month (wiod.iheart.com)). Tampa International Airport has handled roughly 81,000 passengers a day in recent weeks, a level local officials say aligns with the spring‑break spike (wiod.iheart.com)). Clearwater Police estimate as many as 50,000 cars per day could cross the Memorial Causeway at peak, and the city said it is doubling beach personnel and adding extra patrols on foot, bicycle, ATVs, boats and patrol cars. (tampabayobserver.com)) University of South Florida researchers reported sargassum biomass jumping from about 9.5 million tonnes to 13.6 million tonnes in roughly a month, a surge they say helps set 2026 up as another major Sargassum year (thehill.com)). NOAA and USF’s Sargassum Inundation Risk (SIR) products — updated weekly — currently classify risk by coastal sector and show the Gulf with relatively lower current risk while the western Caribbean and parts of the eastern Caribbean show medium to high inundation potential for March–June 2026. (cwcgom.aoml.noaa.gov)) Researchers and regional trackers note sargassum has already been washing ashore on coasts of Mexico, Belize, Honduras and parts of Cuba and early spring outbreaks have appeared in popular Mexican spring‑break spots like Tulum, Playa del Carmen and Isla Mujeres. (thehill.com)) Tourism stakeholders and local governments are reporting early impacts: cleanup costs and operational strain rose during recent surges, and analysts warn continued high sargassum levels this season could disrupt beach operations and visitor experience into April and beyond. (thetraveler.org))