617
FZAK80 PAFC 162038
ICEAFC

Sea Ice Forecast for Western and Arctic Alaskan Coastal Waters
National Weather Service - Alaska Sea Ice Program 1230 PM AKDT Weds
16 September 2026


FORECAST VALIDSaturday 19 September 2026


ANALYSIS CONFIDENCEHigh.


SYNOPSIS...A series of lows move eastward over the High Arctic
bringing moderate westerly winds over the pack ice. Westerly winds
over the ice edge will increase Thursday before weakening and again
increase Sunday. Expect continued slow degradation of ice under near-
freezing air temperatures.


-BEAUFORT SEA-


PKZ505-Central US Arctic Offshore-PKZ510-Eastern US Arctic Offshore-
PKZ814-Cape Halkett to Flaxman Island out to 15 nm-PKZ815-Flaxman
Island to Demarcation Point out to 15 nm-PKZ859-Point Franklin to
Cape Halkett from 45 to 80 nm-PKZ860-Cape Halkett to Flaxman Island
from 45 to 80 nm-PKZ861-Flaxman Island to Demarcation Point from 45
to 80 nm-

Ice covered.

PKZ813-Point Franklin to Cape Halkett out to 15 nm-

Ice free.

The main ice edge in Alaska Waters extends from near 72 6`N 176 39`W
to 70 40`N 136 43`W to 70 19`N 142 3`W to 71 23`N 149 56`W to 73
59`N 156 60`W to 75 38`N 162 19`W to 74 15`N 173 27`W. The ice edge
is open water.

From land-based points in Alaska, the main edge extends from 90 nm
northeast of Demarcation Point to 60 nm west of Demarcation Point to
50 nm north of Oliktok Point to 265 nm north-northwest of Utqiagvik
to 310 nm northwest of Wainwright. The ice edge is open water.


FORECAST FOR THE BEAUFORT SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast
confidence is high.

Winds will be westerly for much of the period, increasing with the
passage of weather fronts Thursday and again on Saturday. Expect ice
to drift with local currents with 10-15 nm easterly progression on
the stronger wind days. Warm sea surface temperatures will
contribute to continued melt.



-CHUKCHI SEA-


PKZ500-Western US Arctic Offshore-PKZ505-Central US Arctic Offshore-
PKZ807-Wales to Cape Espenberg out to 15 nm-PKZ808-Cape Espenberg to
Motherwood Point out to 10 nm-PKZ809-Motherwood Point to Cape
Krusenstern out to 10 nm-PKZ810-Cape Krusenstern to Cape Thompson
out to 15 nm-PKZ811-Cape Thompson to Cape Beaufort out to 15 nm-
PKZ812-Cape Beaufort to Point Franklin out to 15 nm-PKZ813-Point
Franklin to Cape Halkett out to 15 nm-PKZ855-Kotzebue Sound greater
than 10 nm-PKZ856-Wales to Cape Thompson greater than 15 nm-PKZ857-
Cape Thompson to Cape Beaufort from 15 to 85 nm-PKZ858-Cape Beaufort
to Point Franklin from 15 to 85 nm-PKZ859-Point Franklin to Cape
Halkett from 15 to 75 nm-

Ice free.


FORECAST FOR THE CHUKCHI SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast
confidence is high.

There are patches of very open brash ice lingering off of the
northwest Alaska coastline. Winds will be southerly and become
westerly Saturday when an approaching low brings moderate
southwesterly winds. Warm sea surface temperatures will contribute
to continued melting. Alaska waters will likely be close to ice free
by Monday.



-BERING SEA-


PKZ763-Kuskokwim Delta and Etolin Strait out to 15 nm-PKZ765-North
and West of Nunivak Island PKZ801-Etolin Strait to Dall Point out to
15 nm-PKZ802-Dall Point to Kwikpak Pass out to 15 nm-PKZ803-Kwikpak
Pass to Cape Stephens out to 15 nm-KZ804-Cape Stephens to Moses
Point out to 15 nm-PKZ805-Moses Point to Sledge Island out to 15 nm-
PKZ806-Sledge Island to Wales out to 15 nm-PKZ850-Etolin Strait to
Kwemeluk Pass from 15 to 90 nm-PKZ852-Norton Sound greater than 15
nm-PKZ853-Kwemeluk Pass to Kwikpak Pass from 15 to 90 nm-PKZ760-
Bristol Bay greater than 15 nm-PKZ761-Bristol Bay from Port Heiden
to Cape Chichagof out to 15 nm-PKZ762-Bristol Bay from Cape
Chichagof to Cape Pierce out to 15 nm-PKZ764-Kuskokwim Delta from 15
to 80 nm-PKZ767-Saint Matthew Island Waters-PKZ816-South Side of
Saint Lawrence Island out to 15 nm-PKZ817-North Side of Saint
Lawrence Island out to 15 nm-PKZ851-Southwest of Saint Lawrence
Island from 15 to 100 nm-PKZ854-Sledge Island to Wales greater than
15 nm-


Ice free.




FORECAST FOR THE BERING SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast confidence
is high.




-COOK INLET-


PKZ730-West of Barren Islands including Kamishak Bay-PKZ740-Cook
Inlet North of Kalgin Island-PZK741-Kachemak Bay-PKZ742-Cook Inlet
Kalgin Island to Point Bede-


Ice free.




FORECAST FOR COOK INLET (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast confidence is
high.




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