203
FZAK80 PAFC 262328
ICEAFC

Sea Ice Forecast for Western and Arctic Alaskan Coastal Waters
National Weather Service - Alaska Sea Ice Program
228 PM AKST Wednesday 26 February 2025

FORECAST VALID...Monday 3 March 2025

ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE...High to moderate.

SYNOPSIS...High pressure will persist over the Chukchi and Beaufort
Seas through Monday. The general low track will be along and south
of the Aleutian Islands, however a weak low will move farther north
toward the central Bering Sea Friday and Saturday.

-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 prevail through
Monday. Expect the ice pack to continue to thicken and generally
move southwest through the forecast period. Pack ice will continue
to consolidate against the shorefast ice through the period.

-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 Monday. 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, northeasterly winds will become northwesterly
to westerly Saturday through Monday. Any polynyas that recently
formed off southwest-facing coastlines will fill back in with the
thicker ice pack through the weekend.

-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 Cape Newenham
to 58 41N 165 57W to 60 7N 171 7W to 61 14N 179 5W and
continues west into Russian waters. The ice edge is open water.
There is also sea ice in interior Bristol Bay.

From land-based points in Alaska, the main ice edge extends from
near Cape Newenham to 110 nm west of Cape Mohican to 250 nm
southwest of Gambell and continues west into Russian waters. The ice
edge is open water. There is also sea ice in interior Bristol Bay.

FORECAST FOR THE BERING SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast confidence
is high. North to east winds will continue across much of the ice
pack on the Bering Sea through Monday. Ice will generally continue
to thicken and drift west-southwestward 20 to 30 nm through Monday.

To the south and east of Saint Lawrence Island, winds will be more
variable as a weak low tracks farther north than the general low
track through Monday. The overall ice edge is expected to advance 10
to 20 nm west-southwest through the forecast period. Sea ice along
the edge will be in the form of belts and strips coming off of the
main pack. Expect much of the remaining sea ice in northern Bristol
Bay to melt as warmer air remains over the area.

-COOK INLET-

PKZ740-Cook Inlet North of Kalgin Island-

SYNOPSIS...Several stronger low pressure systems will move into the
Gulf of Alaska through Monday.

The main ice edge extends from Tuxedni Bay to near Kalifonsky. 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 upper 30s during
the day. Areas of new ice are possible at night but will melt during
the day. Expect the ice to continue to drift southward 5 to 10
nm/day through Monday with gradual melting.

&&
Schreck