796
FZAK80 PAFC 032311
ICEAFC

Sea Ice Forecast for Western and Arctic Alaskan Coastal Waters
National Weather Service - Alaska Sea Ice Program
211 PM AKST Monday 3 February 2025

FORECAST VALID...Saturday 8 February 2025

ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE...High.

SYNOPSIS...High pressure will persist across the Beaufort Sea,
Chukchi Sea, and Cook Inlet through Saturday. A low from the North
Pacific will track into the southern Bering Sea on Wednesday, and
then low pressure will spread across the entire Bering Sea by
Saturday.

-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. Southwesterly winds become westerly from Tuesday
through Saturday. The ice pack will continue to thicken and
generally move to the east with the direction of the winds through
the forecast period.

-CHUKCHI SEA-

PKZ500-Western US Arctic Offshore-
PKZ505-Central US Arctic Offshore-
PKZ808-Cape Espenberg to Motherwood Point out to 10 nm-
PKZ809- Motherwood Point to Cape Krusenstern out to 10 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-
PKZ807-Wales to Cape Espenberg out to 15 nm-
PKZ810-Cape Krusenstern to Cape Thompson out to 15 nm-

Ice covered.

FORECAST FOR THE CHUKCHI SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast
confidence is high. Southerly winds become westerly to northwesterly
on Tuesday and Wednesday. From Thursday through Friday, the northern
Chukchi Sea winds remain westerly while the southern Chukchi Sea
winds shift northerly. By Saturday, widespread northeasterly winds
develop across the Chukchi Sea. Expect sea ice to drift to the north
through today, to the east on Tuesday and Wednesday, to the south on
Thursday and Friday in the southern Chukchi Sea, and then to the
southwest on Saturday. Polynyas currently forming along north-facing
coasts will fill back in starting Tuesday once winds shift
westerly/northwesterly. Expect polynyas to start forming along
southwest-facing coasts on Thursday as a result of
northerly/northeasterly winds. Easterly winds in the Kotzebue Sound
on Saturday will promote a polynya to form along the west-facing
coast of the sound.

-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.

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-

In the Bering Sea, the main ice edge extends from near Cape Newenham
to 59 25N 164 17W to 59 53N 167 31W to 61 8N 172 19W to 61
53N 175 43W and continues into Russian waters. The ice edge is
open water. There is also sea ice along the northern Bristol Bay
coast.

From land-based points in Alaska, the main ice edge extends from
near Cape Newenham to 30 nm south of Kipnuk to 20 nm south of Cape
Mohican to 155 nm south of Gambell to 160 nm southwest of Gambell
and continues into Russian waters. The ice edge is open water. There
is also sea ice along the northern Bristol Bay coast.

FORECAST FOR THE BERING SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast confidence
is high. North of the Kuskokwim Delta, southerly winds shift
northerly to northeasterly from Wednesday through Saturday. South of
the Kuskokwim Delta, southerly winds persist through Wednesday and
then shift easterly Thursday through Saturday. In general, the main
ice edge will continue retreating to the north, but given the
changing wind directions through Saturday, retreat should be slower
than compared to the past several days. Polynyas currently along
north-facing coastlines will fill back in as winds shift northerly
and thus, polynyas will instead form along south- and west-facing
coastlines.

-COOK INLET-

PKZ740-Cook Inlet North of Kalgin Island-

SYNOPSIS...High pressure will persist across the Cook Inlet region
through Saturday.

In Cook Inlet, the main ice edge extends from near Tuxedni Bay to
near Kenai. The ice edge is open water.

FORECAST FOR COOK INLET (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast confidence is
high. Northeasterly winds will persist across the Cook Inlet region
throughout the forecast period. Air temperatures will remain colder,
with highs in the low to mid 20s and lows in the teens. Thus, expect
sea ice to continue growing through Saturday.

&&
Fenrich