Sydney's beaches appeared to change colour again last night, as an algal bloom continued to wash up on our shores

A FRESH outbreak of red tide has forced the closure of 10 Sydney beaches today.

Pittwater Council ordered all beaches between Palm Beach and North Narrabeen closed just before 3pm because of the algae.

"It appears to be the same style of red tide as that which caused the closures of the eastern suburbs beaches on Tuesday," a Pittwater Council spokeswoman said.

The northern beaches closed were Palm Beach, Whale Beach, North Avalon and Avalon Beaches, Bilgola Beach, Bungan Beach, Newport Beach, Mona Vale Beach, Warriewood Beach and Turimetta Beach.

While other eastern suburbs beaches were open yesterday, Clovelly Beach remained closed because of the algae.

Experts said the red tide on the northern beaches was not the same algae which had closed eastern suburbs beaches moving north, but instead a separate congregation also pushed ashore by winds and ocean currents.

A thick algal bloom known as noctiluca scintillans - commonly called "red tide" or "fire in the sea" - capable of causing skin rashes and eye irritations, began washing up on the eastern beaches early yesterday morning.

Surfers first spotted the algae just after dawn at Bondi, with the number of sightings spreading throughout the morning - stretching from Wamberal on the Central Coast to Cronulla Beach in the city's south.

Bondi and Clovelly beaches were the first to close as a safety precaution as clouds of the algae, which contains high levels of ammonia, began washing ashore.

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Red tide strikes 10 more beaches