398
FZAK80 PAFC 182309 RRA
ICEAFC

Sea Ice Forecast for Western and Arctic Alaskan Coastal Waters
National Weather Service - Alaska Sea Ice Program 308 PM AKDT Friday
18 April 2025


FORECAST VALID...Wednesday 23 April 2025.


ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE...High to moderate.


SYNOPSISA low will move east across the southern Bering Sea through
Wednesday while a weak low over the Chukchi Sea dissipates by
Sunday. High pressure will remain over the high Arctic through
Wednesday.

-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. Winds will be northerly to easterly through the
forecast period. Expect the ice pack to drift west-southwestward 5
to 10 nm/day through Wednesday. Sea ice near the Alaska coastline
will likely move very little overall through the forecast period.


-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. North of Icy Cape, northerly winds will persist
through Sunday, then become easterly Monday through Wednesday. South
of Icy Cape, light southerly winds will become easterly late Sunday
through Monday, then become northerly to northeasterly Tuesday and
Wednesday. The polynya off the northwest coast of Alaska will
persist and continue to fill in with new ice. Sea ice may move away
from the north side of the Seward Peninsula Saturday and Sunday, but
sea ice will move back south again Monday through Wednesday.


-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 Cape Newenham to 56 48N 167 8W to
57 23N 174 25W to 61 14N to 178 17W and continues in Russian waters.
The ice edge is open water.


From land-based points in Alaska, the main ice edge extends from near Cape
Newenham to 100 nm east of St Paul island to 40 nm west of St Paul
Island to 235 nm southwest 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.
Southeasterly to easterly winds will persist through Saturday, then winds
east of Saint Matthew Island will become southwesterly and winds west and
north of Saint Matthew Island will become easterly Sunday through
Monday.Northwesterly winds will develop over the central Bering Sea
ice pack Tuesday and Wednesday. Sea ice will retreat to the
northwest through Monday, then briefly advance again Tuesday and
Wednesday.


&&
Schreck/Lawson