782
FZAK80 PAFC 042257
ICEAFC

Sea Ice Forecast for Western and Arctic Alaskan Coastal Waters
National Weather Service - Alaska Sea Ice Program
257 PM AKDT Wednesday 4 June 2025

FORECAST VALID...Monday 9 June 2025

ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE...High

SYNOPSIS...A low over the southern Mainland moves eastward into
Canada. Over the weekend, a low from Siberia moves into the southern
Chukchi Sea. High pressure resides from the northern Pacific into
the southern Bering Sea.

-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 generally be easterly to
northeasterly near the Alaska coast through Sunday. Then, winds will
switch to light northerly on Monday. Expect general movement from
east to west with the Beaufort Gyre through Sunday, then little to
no movement on Monday with the slight possibility of a polynya
opening up along the shorefast ice. At this point, shorefast
breakoff looks unlikely.

-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. Northerly to northeasterly winds will continue
through Saturday then switch to southerly. Expect the open water
polynya to continue to expand west of Point Hope with multi-year ice
continuing to move southward along the edge of the pack ice. On
Sunday and Monday, expect the polynya to begin to close and the pack
ice to move to the northeast.

South of Point Hope, winds will generally remain northerly through
Saturday, then switch to light southerly for Sunday and Monday. Near
the Bering Strait, southerly ocean currents will be competing with
northerly winds Thursday through Saturday. As the ocean current
weakens on Thursday, sea ice is more likely to drift south toward
the Bering Strait. As this ice drifts south into warmer waters, it
will gradually melt.

-BERING SEA-

PKZ767-Saint Matthew Island Waters-
PKZ803-Kwikpak Pass to Cape Stephens out to 15 nm-
PKZ804-Cape Stephens to Moses Point 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-

The main ice edge extends from near Gambell to 64 4N 167 49W to 62
54N 167 20W to 62 28N 169 34W to 60 34N 168 53N  to 60 26N
174 18W to 61 54N 173 17W to the southeastern corner of Saint
Lawrence Island. The ice edge is open water.

From land-based points in Alaska, the main ice edge extends from
near Gambell to 70 nm northeast of Savoonga to 90 nm east of
Savoonga to 75 nm southeast of Savoonga to 50 nm west of Cape
Mohican to 210 nm south of Gambell to 135 nm south of Gambell to the
southeast corner of Saint Lawrence Island.

FORECAST FOR THE BERING SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast confidence
is high. Over the remaining ice pack, northerly winds will continue
through Friday then turn southerly. Ice will continue to compact
against Saint Lawrence Island. As sea ice drifts with winds and
currents, it will continue to melt especially south of Saint
Lawrence Island. On Saturday through Monday, pack ice will drift
north off of Saint Lawrence Island. Much of the ice remaining south
of Saint Lawrence will melt though there will still likely be a
large area of very open to open marginal ice.

&&
Lawson