011
FZAK80 PAFC 042320
ICEAFC

Sea Ice Forecast for Western and Arctic Alaskan Coastal Waters
National Weather Service - Alaska Sea Ice Program
320 PM AKDT Friday 4 July 2025

FORECAST VALID...Wednesday 9 July 2025

ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE...High

SYNOPSIS...High pressure across the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas will
persist through Saturday and then low pressure spreads across the
Beaufort Sea by Sunday. High pressure continues to build across the
Chukchi Sea and will spread east into the Beaufort Sea through
Wednesday. Over the Bering Sea, low pressure is replaced by high
pressure from the west by Sunday, and then low pressure returns
again by 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. Easterly to northeasterly winds persist through
Saturday evening and then shift generally northerly from Sunday
through Monday and then westerly for Tuesday and Wednesday. The
remaining shorefast ice near the Beaufort coast will most likely
become pack ice by Wednesday. Otherwise, expect ice to generally
continue degrading as it drifts with the winds.

-CHUKCHI SEA-

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

The main ice edge extends from near Espenberg to 68 43N 167 42W to
68 59N 170 6W to 69 39N 168 37W and continues west into Russian
waters. The ice edge is open water.

From land-based points in Alaska, the main ice edge extends from
near Espenberg to 30 nm north-northwest of Point Hope to 80 nm
northwest of Point Hope to 85 nm north-northwest of Point Hope and
continues west into Russian waters. The ice edge is open water.

FORECAST FOR THE CHUKCHI SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast
confidence is high. Southerly winds shift northerly by Sunday and
then will persist through Wednesday. The sea ice that extends from
western Kotzebue Sound northwest beyond Cape Lisburne/Point Hope
will degrade to marginal, and its possible that much of this area
becomes open water by Wednesday. Overall, expect general
melting/retreat of the ice edge and for areas of sea ice free and
open water to continue expanding.

&&
Fenrich