A 5,000-mile-wide blob of seaweed is headed for Florida, threatening tourism across the Caribbean | CNN

A massive mass of seaweed that formed in the Atlantic Ocean is headed for the shores of Florida and other coastlines throughout the Gulf of Mexico.

The seaweed, a variety called sargassum, has long formed large blooms, and scientists have been tracking massive accumulations since 2011.

The mass could be the largest on record, spanning more than 5,000 miles from the coast of Africa to the Gulf.

The blob is expected to become prevalent on beaches in Florida around July, according to a researcher.