848
FZAK80 PAFC 312341
ICEAFC

Sea Ice Forecast for Western and Arctic Alaskan Coastal Waters
National Weather Service - Alaska Sea Ice Program
241 PM AKST Friday 31 January 2025

FORECAST VALID...Wednesday 5 February 2025

ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE...High to moderate.

SYNOPSIS...High pressure will persist across the Beaufort Sea,
Chukchi Sea, and Cook Inlet through Wednesday. A low will remain
fairly stationary over the southwest Bering Sea through Monday, and
then high pressure will spread across the entire Bering through the
remainder of the forecast period.

-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. Northwesterly winds will become southeasterly on
Saturday, southerly on Sunday and Monday, and then westerly on
Tuesday and Wednesday. The ice pack will generally move in the
direction of the winds and continue to thicken through the forecast
period.

-CHUKCHI SEA-

PKZ500-Western US Arctic Offshore-
PKZ505-Central US Arctic Offshore-
PKZ808-Cape Espenberg to Motherwood Point out to 10 nm-
PKZ809- Motherwood Point to Cape Krusenstern out to 10 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-
PKZ807-Wales to Cape Espenberg out to 15 nm-
PKZ810-Cape Krusenstern to Cape Thompson out to 15 nm-

Ice covered.

FORECAST FOR THE CHUKCHI SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast
confidence is high. Easterly winds will become southerly to
southeasterly from Saturday through Monday before shifting
northwesterly on Tuesday and then northerly on Wednesday. Expect sea
ice to drift to the north from Saturday through Monday and then back
down to the south starting on Wednesday. Current polynya growth off
west-facing coasts will slow through today, and then additional
polynyas are expected to form off north-facing coasts from Saturday
through Monday when winds become southerly. Then, when winds shift
northerly on Wednesday, expect polynyas to form along south-facing
coasts.

-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 Pilot Point
to 58 55N 164 26W to 59 19N 167 36W to 60 15N 172 4W to 61
21N 177 18W and continues into Russian waters. The ice edge is
open water.

From land-based points in Alaska, the main ice edge extends from
near Pilot Point to 65 nm south of Kipnuk to 55 nm south of Cape
Mohican to 210 nm south of Gambell to 210 nm southwest of Gambell
and continues into Russian waters. The ice edge is open water.

FORECAST FOR THE BERING SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast confidence
is high. Southerly to southeasterly winds will generally persist
through Tuesday. On Wednesday, winds in the northern Bering Sea will
become northerly. The ice edge will continue to retreat to the north
at approximately 10 to 15 nm per day throughout the forecast period.
The ice pack in the northern Bering Sea will start to drift south on
Wednesday as northerly winds develop.

-COOK INLET-

PKZ740-Cook Inlet North of Kalgin Island-

SYNOPSIS...High pressure will persist across the Cook Inlet region
through Wednesday.

In Cook Inlet, the main ice edge extends from near Tuxedni Bay to
near Clam Gulch. The ice edge is open water.

FORECAST FOR COOK INLET (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast confidence is
high. Northeasterly winds will persist across the Cook Inlet region
throughout the forecast period. Air temperatures will remain colder,
with highs in the mid 20s and lows in the teens. Thus, expect sea
ice to continue growing through Wednesday.

&&
Fenrich