123
FZAK80 PAFC 072321
ICEAFC

Sea Ice Forecast for Western and Arctic Alaskan Coastal Waters
National Weather Service - Alaska Sea Ice Program
220 PM AKST Friday 7 March 2025

FORECAST VALID...Wednesday 12 March 2025

ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE...High to moderate.

SYNOPSIS...A weak low near Utqiagvik dissaptes overnight into
Saturday. High pressure returns to the area. In the Bering Sea, a
low moves into the western Bering Sea over the weekend, swinging a
front over the ice edge near Saint Matthew Island and stalls through
Monday. The low pressure system will migrate to the central Bering
Sea through Monday.


-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. Easterly winds will continue through Wednesday.
Expect shorefast ice to remain intact and the pack to move east to
west around 5 nm/day.

-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. Light northerly winds will continue thorugh
Wednesday. Expect polynyas along the west coast to fill in with new
ice and the thicker pack ice to migrate closer to the coast.

-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 22N 165 38W to 59 20N 173 2W to 60 47N 178 10W 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 Cape Newenham to To 85 nm south-southeast of Cape Mendenhall to
65 nm south of Saint Matthew Island to 270 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. From Saint Matthew Island eastward...easterly winds through
Saturday will switch to southerly through Monday, then become light
and variable. Expect the ice edge to retreat 10 to 20 nm through
Monday then stall or slightly recover to the south through
Wednesday.

West of Saint Matthew Island...Moderate to strong easterly then
northeasterly winds will continue through the weekend before
diminishing through the middle of next week. Expect the ice edge to
advance to the west-southwest 20 to 30 nm through Wednesday.


-COOK INLET-

PKZ740-Cook Inlet North of Kalgin Island-

SYNOPSIS...A low dissipates in the central Gulf of Alaska through
the weekend. A front moves overhead on Monday and spawns a new low
near the Barren Islands which migrates into the Gulf of Alaska
through Wednesday.

The main ice edge extends from the West Foreland to 60 29N 151 39W
to the East Foreland. 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 mid 20s at night to mid to upper 30s
and during the day. Areas of new ice are possible at night but will
melt during the day. Expect the ice to continue to gradually melt
while drifting with tides and currents. Ice is quickly melting under
these conditions, Cook Inlet could be ice free by the middle of this
month.

&&
Lawson/Fenrich