Windy, rainy weather curb blue-green algae blooms in lakes, sea

Unstable weather has reduced blue-green algae blooms since last week, said Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE) in a press release on Thursday.

Cooled and rainy weather and winds have mixed the water mass and reduced blue-green algae blooms in open sea areas, especially in the Gulf of Finland.

The amount of blue-green algae on the coast and inland waters has also decreased compared to last week, but individual abundant blue-green algae deposits are still visible.

SYKE observes the cyanobacteria occurrence as part of the monitoring of the state of the environment in Finland

The national cyanobacterial monitoring is carried out as part of the monitoring of the state of the environment in cooperation with the Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment, municipal environmental and health authorities, and the SYKE. Finnish Rotary Clubs are also actively involved in nationwide cyanobacterial monitoring.

The cyanobacterial monitoring is based on the monitoring of cyanobacterial deposits in surface water.

The intention is to provide an overview of the cyanobacterial situation in different water bodies.

The monitoring includes about 400 permanent observation sites across the country on inland and coastal waters and in the archipelago.

Information on the cyanobacterial situation in the open sea areas is mainly obtained from satellite images, but also from the Finnish Border Guard, the marine research vessel Aranda, the optical device located at the Utö Atmospheric and Marine Research Station, as well as cruise and merchant ships (MS Finnmaid and MS Silja Serenade). The drift forecasts for cyanobacterial rafts in open sea areas are prepared in cooperation with the Finnish Meteorological Institute's Maritime Services.

SYKE reports on the national cyanobacterial situation on a weekly basis every Thursday from June 20 to August 8 August 2024. The weekly algal reporting was launched in 1998.