Press & media — Riviera Maya sargassum data
Updated June 21, 2026 from Copernicus satellite data — refreshed 4× per day.
The Atlantic is having a widely reported record sargassum season. What the headlines rarely answer is the question your readers actually ask: is my beach swimmable today? We publish that answer for Cancún and the Riviera Maya, beach by beach, from satellite data — and it is free to cite with attribution.
What we publish
Live sargassum status for 12 beaches across Cancún and the Riviera Maya — from Playa Delfines and Isla Mujeres' Playa Norte down to Akumal, Puerto Morelos, Xpu-Ha and Mahahual — each with a clean / moderate / avoid rating, a 0–100 Beach Score and a beach-specific 7-day forecast. Detection uses the AFAI (Alternative Floating Algae Index) from the Copernicus and NOAA satellite programs, sampled pixel by pixel directly offshore of each beach — not a regional average — and refreshed four times a day, with wind and swell data from Open-Meteo. As of June 21, 2026, 9 of 12 tracked beaches read clean.
Accuracy, published openly
We backtest the forecast against what satellites later observed, and we publish the results: across our network, next-day beach status verifies 76% of the time, and 3-day status 73%. Days 1–3 are the most reliable; days 4–7 show the trend — and we say so on every page. The data is never hand-edited, never filtered for resorts, never deleted.
Free to use, with attribution
Journalists, bloggers and broadcasters may quote any beach status, score or forecast with a link to the source page. Suggested citation: Source: sargassumcancun.com — Copernicus/NOAA satellite data, refreshed 4× daily. For an embed of the live map, beach-level data for a story, or comment on current conditions, write to support@sargassumcancun.com — we answer quickly.
Story angles ready today
Which Riviera Maya beach is clean this week (live ranked list, updated 4× daily) · Why Isla Mujeres, Cozumel and Holbox often escape the sargassum that hits Tulum and Playa del Carmen · What a record Atlantic bloom means at beach level for Quintana Roo tourism · How satellite AFAI detection works, with measured forecast accuracy published on our methodology page.
About the network
SargassumCancun.com is part of a five-site monitoring network: Martinique and Guadeloupe (French), Punta Cana (English), Cancún & Riviera Maya (Spanish), and Miami & Florida (English). All five sites run the same satellite pipeline and the same openly published methodology. The live map is free for everyone; a premium subscription adds daily beach recommendations, push alerts and a morning brief.
Live Seaweed & Sargassum Map — Cancún and the Riviera Maya · Sargassum Forecast for Cancún & the Riviera Maya — Next 7 Days · Beaches Without Sargassum Today in Cancún & the Riviera Maya · Sargassum Season in Cancún & the Riviera Maya — 2026 Guide · Best beaches without sargassum · Sargassum this week · Methodology & accuracy · Live map
Sargassum network: Martinique · Guadeloupe · Punta Cana · Miami & Florida