446
FZAK80 PAFC 122303
ICEAFC

Sea Ice Forecast for Western and Arctic Alaskan Coastal Waters
National Weather Service - Alaska Sea Ice Program
303 PM AKDT Monday 12 May 2025

FORECAST VALID...Saturday 17 May 2025.

ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE...High to moderate.

SYNOPSIS...High pressure will persist across the Chukchi Sea and
Beaufort Sea through at least midweek. A low over the Bering Sea
will gradually weaken as it moves south toward the Aleutian Islands
throughout the week. Another low from the North Pacific will enter
the eastern Bering Sea around midweek and will weaken through
Saturday while also spreading low pressure north across the Chukchi
Sea and Beaufort Sea during the weekend.

-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. Easterly winds will generally persist through
Saturday. Expect sea ice to drift westward through the forecast
period. Sea ice near the Alaska coastline will likely move very
little overall.

-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. Easterly to northeasterly will generally persist
through Wednesday and sea ice is expected to drift westward. The
polynya off the northwest coast of Alaska will continue to expand
through much of the forecast period. By Thursday, winds south of
Point Hope become northerly while winds north of Point Hope remain
northeasterly. By Saturday, winds become light and variable across
most of the Chukchi Sea. Sea ice is expected to remain fairly
stationary south of Point Hope through Saturday.

-BERING SEA-

PKZ803-Kwikpak Pass to Cape Stephens out to 15 nm-
PKZ817-North side of Saint Lawrence Island out to 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-
PKZ763-Kuskokwim Delta and Etolin Strait out to 15 nm-
PKZ764-Kuskokwim Delta from 15 to 80 nm-
PKZ765-North and West of Nunivak Island-
PKZ767-Saint Matthew Island Waters-
PKZ801-Etolin Strait to Dall Point out to 15 nm-
PKZ802-Dall Point to Kwikpak Pass 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-
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-

The main ice edge extends from near Kwigillingok to 59 48N 168 5W
to 57 6N 169 33W to 58 22N 172 23W to 59 53N 177 56W and
continues into Russian waters. The ice edge is open water.

From land-based points in Alaska, the main ice edge extends from
near Kwigillingok to 30 nm southwest of Cape Mohican to 25 nm east
of Saint Paul to 100 nm northwest of Saint Paul to 150 nm southwest
of Saint Matthew Island and continues into Russian waters. The ice
edge is open water.

FORECAST FOR THE BERING SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast confidence
is high. Easterly to northeasterly winds will persist across the
central and eastern Bering Sea through Wednesday, with northeasterly
and northerly winds over the northern and western sections of the
Bering Sea. Winds become generally northerly on Thursday and Friday
and then light and variable by Saturday. Sea ice near the Bering
Strait will continue to drift south to southwest overall through the
forecast period. Through about midweek, the southern portion of the
ice pack over the Bering Sea will drift to the west and northwest
(especially east of Saint Matthew Island) and then to the south
towards the end of the week. Overall, sea ice will continue to
gradually melt across the Bering Sea. Also expect sections of
shorefast ice to break off along the west coast of Alaska through
the forecast period.

&&
Fenrich