217
FZAK80 PAFC 292245
ICEAFC

Sea Ice Forecast for Western and Arctic Alaskan Coastal Waters
National Weather Service - Alaska Sea Ice Program
145 PM AKST Wednesday 29 January 2025

FORECAST VALID...Monday 3 February 2025

ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE...Moderate.

SYNOPSIS...High pressure builds eastward across the Chukchi Sea,
Beaufort Sea, and Alaska mainland through Monday. A low will remain
fairly stationary over the southwest Bering Sea through 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 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. Westerly to northwesterly winds will persist
through Friday. As high pressure moves off to the east, expect
southeasterly winds on Saturday and then southerly winds on Sunday
and Monday. The ice pack will generally move in the direction of the
winds and continue to thicken 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. Northerly to northwesterly winds will shift
easterly later Thursday into Friday and then southerly from Saturday
through Monday. Expect sea ice to drift south through Thursday, then
to the west Friday and to the north Saturday through Monday.
Polynyas will likely develop off south-facing coasts through
Thursday, then briefly off west-facing coasts Friday. Additional
polynyas are expected to form off north-facing coasts from Saturday
through the remainder of the forecast period.

-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 1N 164 33W to 58 58N 167 43W to 60 39N 172 27W to 62
32N 177 13W and continues into Russian waters. The ice edge is
open water. There is also some sea ice in northern Bristol Bay.

From land-based points in Alaska, the main ice edge extends from
near Cape Newenham to 60 nm south of Kipnuk to 75 nm south of Cape
Mohican to 190 nm south of Gambell to 200 nm southwest of Gambell
and continues into Russian waters. The ice edge is open water. There
is also some sea ice in northern Bristol Bay.

FORECAST FOR THE BERING SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast confidence
is moderate. Southerly to southeasterly winds will generally persist
through Monday. Expect the ice pack to retreat approximately 60 to
80 nm through the forecast period.

-COOK INLET-

PKZ740-Cook Inlet North of Kalgin Island-

SYNOPSIS...A low in the northern Gulf of Alaska will move southeast
into the eastern Gulf of Alaska through the forecast period while
high pressure builds from the west over the Cook Inlet region
through Monday.

In Cook Inlet, the main ice edge extends from near Tyonek to near
Fire Island to near Hope. The ice edge is open water.

FORECAST FOR COOK INLET (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast confidence is
high. Northeasterly winds will persist through the forecast period,
although Turnagain Arm will see westerly winds. Air temperatures
will remain colder, with lows in the single digits above and below
zero and highs in the teens. Thus, sea ice will continue to grow
quickly and likely expand in coverage much quicker than we usually
see at the beginning of the season as water temperatures are already
primed for sea ice growth through much of upper Cook Inlet. Expect
the ice edge to advance south 40 to 50 nm through Monday.

&&
Fenrich