663
FZAK80 PAFC 102242
ICEAFC

Sea Ice Forecast for Western and Arctic Alaskan Coastal Waters
National Weather Service - Alaska Sea Ice Program
242 PM AKST Monday 10 March 2025

FORECAST VALID...Saturday 15 March 2025

ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE...High to moderate.

SYNOPSIS...High pressure will build over the Chukchi and Beaufort
Seas through Saturday while the main storm track remains along and
south of the Aleutian Islands.

-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. East to northeast winds will persist through
Saturday. Expect the ice pack to continue to thicken and generally
move southwest through the forecast period. Winds near the Alaska
coastline will be southerly through Wednesday, allowing for polynya
formation and expansion before winds become northeasterly Thursday
through Saturday.

-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. North to northeast winds will persist across
most of the Chukchi Sea through Saturday. Expect the ice pack to
continue to thicken while drifting to the south-southwest. Polynyas
will continue to form off south and southwest-facing coastlines
through Saturday but will quickly fill in with new sea ice.

South of Point Hope, northwesterly winds will persist through
Saturday. Sea ice in this area will drift southeast toward the
northern Seward Peninsula and continue to thicken.

-BERING SEA-

PKZ763-Kuskokwim Delta and Etolin Strait out to 15 nm-
PKZ765-North and West of Nunivak Island-
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-
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-

Ice covered.

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-
PKZ764-Kuskokwim Delta from 15 to 80 nm-
PKZ767-Saint Matthew Island Waters-

In the Bering Sea, the main ice edge extends from near Goodnews Bay
to 58 49N 166 2W to 59 57N 175 45W to 60 56N 178 19W 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 Goodnews Bay to 50 nm south of Cape Mendenhall to 90 nm
southwest of Saint Matthew Island to 250 nm southwest of Gambell and
continues west into Russian waters. The ice edge is open water.

FORECAST FOR THE BERING SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast confidence
is high. North to northeast winds will continue across the main ice
pack through Saturday. The overall ice edge is expected to advance
20 to 30 nm west-southwest through the forecast period. Sea ice
along the edge will generally be in the form of belts and strips
coming off of the main pack. In Bristol Bay, new sea ice growth is
expected especially during times when air temperatures are in the
single digits to mid 20s Fahrenheit.

-COOK INLET-

PKZ740-Cook Inlet North of Kalgin Island-

SYNOPSIS...A low in the Gulf of Alaska will move south as it
dissipates through Wednesday. Another low will move east toward the
Gulf of Alaska Thursday through Saturday.

The main ice edge extends from near Tyonek to near Fire Island to
Point Possession. The ice edge is open water.

FORECAST FOR COOK INLET (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast confidence is
high. Northeast winds will persist across the Cook Inlet with
temperatures remaining in the upper 20s at night to mid to upper 30s
during the day. Areas of new ice are possible north of the Forelands
at night but will melt during the day. Expect any remaining very
small ice floes to continue to gradually melt while drifting with
tides and currents.

&&
Lawson/Schreck