596
FZAK80 PAFC 072212
ICEAFC

Sea Ice Forecast for Western and Arctic Alaskan Coastal Waters
National Weather Service - Alaska Sea Ice Program 2:30 PM AKDT
Monday 7 September 2026


FORECAST VALIDSaturday 12 September 2026


ANALYSIS CONFIDENCEHigh.


SYNOPSIS. Generally mild conditions persist with light and variable
winds until Thursday when a strong low moves from the Russian Arctic
and pauses northeast of Wrangel Island. On Friday a second low forms
along the front in the southern Chukchi and continues northeast into
the Beaufort Sea on Saturday. Southwesterly winds will contribute to
continued melting.


-BEAUFORT SEA-


PKZ505-Central US Arctic Offshore-PKZ510-Eastern US Arctic Offshore-
PKZ813-Point Franklin to Cape Halkett out to 15 nm-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-


Ice covered.




The main ice edge in the Beaufort Sea extends from near 70 53N 151
02W to 71 26N 146 54W to 72 13N 149 19W to 71 47N 153 26W to
72 22N 154 43W.




From land-based points in Alaska, the main edge extends from 20 nm
east of Cape Halkett to 70 nm north of Flaxman Island to 100 nm
north of Oliktok Point to 48nm northeast of Ikiak to 75 nm north of
Ikiak to 90 nm north of Utqiagvik. The ice edge is open brash ice.








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


Mild easterly flow persists through Tuesday when a weak low from the
Russian far east shifts winds to westerly/southwesterly. The low
moves toward the Arctic coast and dissipates. It is followed by a
stronger low on Friday that emerges from eastern Russia, south of
Wrangel Island and tracks toward the Canadian Archipelago. An
additional low forms north of the Bering Strait Friday afternoon and
follows the northwest coast of Alaska before entering the Beaufort
on Saturday. 35 knot winds from the south and southwest will briefly
warm air temperatures up to the low 50s and push ice away from the
Arctic coast.


-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-






The main ice edge in the Chukchi Sea extends from near 72 50N 157
25W to 74 07N 163 05W to 76 14N 160 06W to 73 51N 174 15W to
71 51N 174 15W to 69 13N 174 48W

From land-based points in Alaska, the main edge in the Chukchi Sea
extends from 80 nm north of Utqiagvik to 220 nm north of Icy Cape to
310 nm northwest of Point Franklin to 296 nm north of Cape Lisburne
to 240 nm west of Point lay. The ice edge is open brash ice.




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


Mild northerly flow persists through Tuesday when a weak low from
the Russian far east shifts winds to westerly/southwesterly. The low
then moves toward the Arctic coast and dissipates. It is followed by
a stronger low on Friday that emerges from eastern Russia, south of
Wrangel Island and tracks toward the Canadian Archipelago. An
additional low forms north of the Bering Strait Friday afternoon and
follows the northwest coast of Alaska Friday afternoon. Winds shift
to northwesterly behind the low, potentially pushing ice into open
water in the western Chukchi on Saturday. Warm sea surface
temperatures will contribute to continued melting.




-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-PKZ804-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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