675
FZAK80 PAFC 060026
ICEAFC

Sea Ice Forecast for Western and Arctic Alaskan Coastal Waters
National Weather Service - Alaska Sea Ice Program
325 PM AKDT Wednesday 5 November 2025

FORECAST VALID...Monday 10 November 2025

ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE...Moderate.

SYNOPSISAn area of low pressure forms over the Arctic mainland
Thursday and drifts northward into the High Arctic through Friday.
Saturday afternoon an area of high pressure forms over the Arctic
mainland and drifts northward. A strong low moves from the western
Bering to the Central Bering. Weak lows from the Bering and North
Pacific converge and dissipate in the Gulf of Alaska by Monday.

-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-
PKZ815-Flaxman Island to Demarcation Point out to 15 nm-
PKZ859-Point Franklin to Cape Halkett from 45 to 140 nm-
PKZ860-Cape Halkett to Flaxman Island from 45 to 60 nm-
PKZ861-Flaxman Island to Demarcation Point from 20 to 45 nm-

The main ice edge in the Beaufort Sea extends from 72 12N 154 52W
to 71 29N 151 29W to 70 52N 146 34W to  70 27N 143 49W. The
ice edge is open water.


From land-based points in Alaska, the main ice edge in the Beaufort
Sea extends from 63 nm north of Ikiak to 41 nm north of Flaxman
Island to 8nm north of Flaxman Island to 15 nm north of Oliktok
Point to 12 nm north of Ikiak. The ice edge is open water.


FORECAST FOR THE BEAUFORT SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast
confidence is moderate. Moderate northeasterly winds persist through
Friday, after which weak low pressure lifts from the Arctic mainland
into the Beaufort Sea and winds become southwesterly, then weak and
northeasterly Saturday night. Weak northeasterly winds persist
through Monday. Expect sea ice to continue drifting west about 10-15
nm per day. Once winds diminish starting approximately on Friday,
sea ice growth should become favorable.

-CHUKCHI SEA-

PKZ505-Central US Arctic Offshore-

Ice covered.

PKZ500-Western 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-
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 72 13N 154 05W
to 71 55N 165 17W to 71 37N 171 45W and continues southwest into
Russian waters. The ice edge is open water. There is also ice along
the coast from Cape Lisburne through the North Slope, as well as
within Kotzebue Sound.

From land-based points in Alaska, the main ice edge in the Chukchi
Sea extends from 65 nm north of Ikiak to 75 nm north of Point
Franklin to 230 nm north of Cape Lisburne to 200 nm northwest of
Cape Lisburne and continues southwest into Russian waters. The ice
edge is open water. There is also ice along the coast from Cape
Lisburne through the North Slope, as well as within Kotzebue Sound.


FORECAST FOR THE CHUKCHI SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast
confidence is moderate. A low centered over the Chukchi Sea is
producing southerly/southeasterly winds across the northern portion
of the sea and westerly/northwesterly winds across the southern
portion. As the low lifts northward, winds will shift generally
northerly/northwesterly on Wednesday and then primarily northerly
from Thursday through Friday. On Saturday, winds become light and
northerly. Due to winds, expect sea ice along the Siberian coast to
continue drifting southeasterly about 10-15 nm per day through
Tuesday. Expect the main ice pack in the northern Chukchi Sea to the
west/northwest about 10-15 nm per day through Tuesday. From
Wednesday through Saturday, expect sea ice to generally drift to the
south about 5-10 nm per day. The recent and ongoing moderate winds
have made it difficult for new sea ice to grow (especially along the
ice edge and along the coast). However, once winds diminish and
shift northerly during the second half of the forecast period, sea
ice growth will become more likely overall.


-BERING SEA-

PKZ763-Kuskokwim Delta and Etolin Strait out to 15 nm-
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-

FORECAST FOR THE BERING SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast confidence
is moderate. Northerly winds across the northern and eastern Bering
Sea will become southerly  before southeasterly winds develop
Saturday through Monday. On Saturday, a strong low centered over the
western Bering Sea shifts to the central Bering. Sea ice lingers
along the Y-K Delta coast as well as along portions of the Norton
Sound coast. Expect present sea ice to linger (especially within
protected areas) but for new sea ice growth to be minimal during the
forecast period.

&&
Riedel