Algal blooms, known locally as "June grass," have washed up onto beaches in Orange County, Alabama.

(Robin Reymond Hunter)

At a Glance

June Grass is the name given to algae that wash up on Gulf Coast beaches this time of year.When it dries in the sun, it gives off a rather unpleasant odor.

Anaturally occurring algal bloomknown locally as "June grass" has been spotted on Alabama beaches.

Photos posted to Twitter show the slimy green algae that wash up on Gulf Coast beaches this time of year, where it dries in the sun and gives off an unpleasant odor.

Beaches in Orange County, Alabama, appear to be riddled with the green algae.

(MORE: )

While June grass is naturally occurring, the ever-increasing use of chemicals on farms and the runoff from farms and development have resulted in harmful algal blooms that can contain numerous toxins.

Last year, the were worse than they had been since 2002 and were particularly toxic. At leastseven pregnant sea lions rescued off the coast died in April 2017 after theneurotoxindomoic acid madeits way up the food chain, KPCC reported.

There'sa website called the June Grass Report that and offers pointers on how to avoid beaches covered in the green slime.

The site notes that a north wind will push the "grass" off the beach, while a southerly wind will stack the algae up on beaches. They also recommend avoiding beaches near freshwater inlets such as the Perdido Pass located at the Florida-Alabama border.

The nutrient-rich runoff that flows into the ocean from these freshwater inlets provides the "fertilizer" that feeds the growth of the algae. For this same reason, June grass tends to be worse when there is heavy rainfall during the month of June.