159
FZAK80 PAFC 192236
ICEAFC

Sea Ice Forecast for Western and Arctic Alaskan Coastal Waters
National Weather Service - Alaska Sea Ice Program
235 PM AKDT Wednesday 19 August 2026


FORECAST VALIDMonday 24 August 2026


ANALYSIS CONFIDENCEHigh.


SYNOPSISThe next low pressure system over the high arctic sends a
front into the Chukchi Sea on Thursday lingers throught the week. A
stronger low pressure system approaches the Bering Strait from the
southwest on Monday.


-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.


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


Easterly winds over the next 48 hours will move ice in navigational
waters to the west-northwest around 5-10 nm/day. A brief period of
northwesterly winds could bring ice closer to the coast on Saturday
around 5-10 nm. Sunday and Monday, southerly winds will push ice
away from the coast around 5 nm.


-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 71 20`N 156
39`W to 70 51`N 160 11`W to 71 60`N 165 37`W to 70 18`N 167 50`W to
70 2`N 170 17`W to 70 26`N 171 37`W to 72 25`N 172 7`W to 72 13`N
175 56`W to 70 11`N 175 31`W to 68 15`N 172 16`W to 68 3`N 169 37`W
to 66 15`N 169 46`W. The ice edge is open water.



From land-based points in Alaska, the main ice edge in the Chukchi
Sea extends from near Utqiagvik to 26 nm west of Point Franklin to
140 nm north-northwest of Point Franklin to 115 nm west of Icy Cape
to 165 nm west of Icy Cape to 190 nm west of Icy Cape to 140 nm west-
southwest of Cape Lisburne to 90 nm southwest of Cape Lisburne to 25
nm northwest of Diomede. The ice edge is open water.





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

Sea ice around Herald Shoal will continue to melt out, but some pack
ice will likely remain by Monday. Otherwise, navigational waters
along the Alaska coastline will remain in open water with a stream
of marginal ice flowing from Hanna Shoal with the currents to north
of Utqiagvik.




-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.




&&
Lawson