613
FZAK80 PAFC 042242
ICEAFC

Sea Ice Forecast for Western and Arctic Alaskan Coastal Waters
National Weather Service - Alaska Sea Ice Program
242 PM AKDT Friday 4 April 2025

FORECAST VALID...Wednesday 9 April 2025.

ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE...High to moderate.

SYNOPSIS...A large low pressure system south of the Alaska Peninsula
will weaken and shift into the Gulf of Alaska. A weak low over the
Chukchi Peninsula will drop southward through the Bering Sea and
merge with the previous system Sunday and Monday. A broad and weak
low will encroach on the southeastern Beaufort Sea, moving toward
the Canadian Archipelago by Tuesday. Otherwise high pressure
dominates the High Arctic through the Bering Sea.


-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 15 to 75 nm-
PKZ860-Cape Halkett to Flaxman Island from 15 to 80 nm-
PKZ861-Flaxman Island to Demarcation Point from 15 to 75 nm-

Ice covered.

FORECAST FOR THE BEAUFORT SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast
confidence is high. Northeasterly winds, moderate strength, will
persist through Monday before becoming weaker. Expect the pack ice
to continue to compact against the shorefast ice as well as creating
a shear zone between the two. Ice will move to the southwest 10-15
nm/day.

-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 covered.

FORECAST FOR THE CHUKCHI SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast
confidence is high. Northeasterly winds will persist through most of
the period. Expect pack ice to continue to drift southwestward 10-15
nm/day through Monday, then slowing. Expect polynyas to form along
southwest facing coastlines, especially from Point Hope to Kivalina
where shorefast ice will be vulnerable to breaking off.

-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-
PKZ816-South side of Saint Lawrence Island out to 15 nm-
PKZ817-North side of Saint Lawrence Island out to 15 nm-
PKZ850-Etolin Strait to Kwemeluk Pass from 15 to 90 nm-
PKZ851-Southwest of Saint Lawrence Island from 15 to 100 nm-
PKZ852-Norton Sound greater than 15 nm-
PKZ853-Kwemeluk Pass to Kwikpak Pass from 15 to 90 nm-
PKZ854-Sledge Island to Wales greater than 15 nm-

Ice covered.

PKZ414-Bering Sea Offshore East of 171W-
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 Peirce out to 15 nm-
PKZ764-Kuskokwim Delta from 15 to 80 nm-
PKZ767-Saint Matthew Island Waters-

The main ice edge extends from near Hagemeister Island to 57 24N
162 45W to 57 32N 168 1W to 59 32N 172 27W and continues into
Russian waters. The ice edge is open water.

From land-based points in Alaska, the main ice edge extends from
near Hagemeister Island to 75 nm south of Cape Newenham to 160 nm
south of Cape Mohican to 250 nm south of Gambell and continues into
Russian waters. The ice edge is open water.

FORECAST FOR THE BERING SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast confidence
is high. Across the eastern Bering Sea, northerly winds will persist
for the period, though a transiting low pressure will bring a brief
period of westerly winds on Monday evening. Expect the ice edge, to
continue to advance to the south 5-10 nm/day through Wednesday,
likely in the form of marginal strips of ice. It is possible that
the ice edge will get within 50 nm to the east of Saint Paul Island.
West of Saint Matthew Island, the advance will be slower through the
period, around 5 nm/day.




&&
Lawson