The Hudson River will soon be looking stranger (and greener) due to climate change-here's what to know

"Typically, these blooms happen in still water (think lakes, ponds or maybe your neglected backyard fountain), but rarely in a deep tidal river that mixes with the ocean twice daily. This year, however, a perfect storm of record heat, drought and sewage overflow created ideal conditions for cyanobacteria (aka blue-green algae) to thrive. According to the National Weather Service, the Hudson Valley saw its warmest September since 2018, averaging nearly 71 degrees Fahrenheit. With rain at just 60% of normal levels , the river's flow slowed, leaving less water to flush out pollutants."

""It is unusual for rivers in general," Stuart Findlay, senior scientist at the Cary Institute, . "One year out of five you may get any evidence at all, much less of this extent." Shannon Roback, science director at Riverkeeper, put it more bluntly: "What we are seeing right now is definitely not normal. This is much more widespread and severe than what we've seen in the past on the Hudson.""

"The culprit behind the neon sludge is Microcystis, a toxin-producing bacteria that can be dangerous to humans and pets. The CDC warns that exposure can cause everything from skin irritation and nausea to liver and nerve damage. Dogs are especially at risk, so keep Fido far from the water's edge. While the bloom is finally dissipating with cooler weather, scientists warn this may be a preview of the Hudson's future."

A roughly 60-mile stretch of the Hudson River from Beacon past Germantown was blanketed with thick green algal scum, the worst bloom in nearly 40 years. Cyanobacteria Microcystis produced toxic neon sludge that poses health risks to humans and pets. An unusually warm September and rainfall at about 60% of normal slowed river flow and reduced flushing of pollutants, while sewage overflow supplied nutrients that fed the bloom. Reported symptoms from exposure include skin irritation, nausea, and potential liver and nerve damage. Cooler weather has begun dissipating the bloom, but warming climate increases future risk.

Read at Time Out New York