There may be another reason to reconsider going to the beach, besides the cold weather.
Red tide continues to persist, particularly in Manatee and Sarasota counties.
High concentrations of the toxin were found this week near the 10th Street Pier in Bradenton and Longboat Pass boat ramp, as well as further south on New Pass dock on Sarasota Bay. Lower concentrations were found on beaches from Anna Maria to Siesta Key, as well as Venice Beach and Nokomis.
In Pinellas, lower amounts were found at Madeira Beach, Bay Pines, Pass-a-Grille and Fort DeSoto.
State environmental regulators said fish kills suspected to be from red tide were reported off Pinellas, Manatee and Sarasota counties. Respiratory irritation was also reported in Sarasota County.
Forecasts by the USF-FWC Collaboration for Prediction of Red Tides predict predominantly southward transport for surface and subsurface waters over the next 3.5 days, from Pinellas County to northern Monroe County.
