FLORIDA – Despite frigid Florida temperatures, experts say the water is still too warm to kill red tide. The bloom stinking up southwest Florida shores since at least mid-November appears to be crawling north.


According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s mid-week red tide report studying water samples taken from December 26 through January 2, the Karenia brevis organism was found in low concentrations in one sample in Manatee and in background to high concentrations in the 16 samples in Sarasota.


According to the Bradenton Herald, the factors that will have a greater effect on red tide than short-term cold weather are wind and currents.