949
FZAK80 PAFC 152225
ICEAFC

Sea Ice Forecast for Western and Arctic Alaskan Coastal Waters
National Weather Service - Alaska Sea Ice Program
225 PM AKDT Friday 15 August 2025

FORECAST VALID...Wednesday 20 August 2025

ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE...High

SYNOPSIS...High pressure will linger over the Bering Sea through the
forecast period. A low over the western Chukchi Sea will track east
into the Beaufort Sea through Tuesday. On Wednesday, high pressure
will build over the Beaufort Sea while low pressure spreads across
the Chukchi Sea.

-BEAUFORT SEA-

PKZ505-Central US Arctic Offshore-
PKZ510-Eastern US Arctic Offshore-

Ice covered.

PKZ813-Point Franklin to Cape Halkett out to 15 nm-
PKZ814-Cape Halkett to Flaxman Island 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-

The main ice edge in the Beaufort Sea extends from near 70 11N 146
8W to 70 26N 145 34W to 70 38N 142 39W to 70 2N 139 11W and
continues east into Canadian waters. The ice edge is open water.

From land-based points in Alaska, the main ice edge in the Beaufort
Sea extends from 20 nm east of Flaxman Island to 35 nm northeast of
Flaxman Island to 35 nm north-northeast of Kaktovik to 45 nm
northeast of Demarcation point and continues east into Canadian
waters. The ice edge is open water.

FORECAST FOR THE BEAUFORT SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast
confidence is high. Northwesterly winds become generally southerly
from Saturday into Sunday before shifting northwesterly again on
Monday and then southwesterly on Tuesday and Wednesday. Overall,
expect sea ice to continue melting and for ice free and open water
areas near the coast to continue expanding.

-CHUKCHI SEA-

PKZ500-Western US Arctic Offshore-
PKZ505-Central US Arctic Offshore-

Ice covered.

PKZ813-Point Franklin to Cape Halkett out to 15 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 Anakruak to
71 24N 154 57W to 71 17N 157 5W to 70 59N 159 56W to 72 6N
163 55W to 72 3N 168 15W to 71 23N 171 48W and continues into
Russian waters. The ice edge is open water.

From land-based points in Alaska, the main ice edge in the Chukchi
Sea extends from near Anakruak to 35 nm northeast of Utqiagvik to 5
nm west of Utqiagvik to 20 nm north of Wainwright to 110 nm north-
northwest of Wainwright to 170 nm northwest of Wainwright to 225 nm
west-northwest of Wainwright and continues into Russian waters. The
ice edge is open water.

FORECAST FOR THE CHUKCHI SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast
confidence is high. Southerly winds will shift northwesterly on
Sunday and then westerly from Monday through Tuesday. Then, winds
become southerly again on Wednesday. Expect the ice pack to continue
degrading through the forecast period. Winds will bring the ice edge
northward through Saturday, eastward from Sunday through Tuesday,
and then northward again on Wednesday.

&&
Fenrich