791
FZAK80 PAFC 062309
ICEAFC

Sea Ice Forecast for Western and Arctic Alaskan Coastal Waters
National Weather Service - Alaska Sea Ice Program
209 PM AKST Monday 6 January 2025

FORECAST VALID...Saturday 11 January 2025

ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE...High.

SYNOPSIS...High pressure will persist over the Chukchi and Beaufort
Seas through Wednesday. A series of lows will generally track
eastward across the Bering Sea and Aleutian Chain throughout the
forecast period. By Thursday, low pressure begins to spread north
into the Chukchi Sea and then into the southern Beaufort Sea on
Friday, persisting through 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.  Northeasterly winds will generally persist
through Saturday. There will likely be a brief period of light and
variable winds from Wednesday into part of Thursday. The ice pack
will continue to compact and movement overall should be minimal.
Overall, thickening ice conditions are expected through Saturday.

-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. Northerly winds will persist through Saturday. A
polynya off the Point Hope to Cape Krusenstern coastline will
continue to form and advance towards the south through the forecast
period. Overall, thickening ice conditions are expected through
Saturday as sea ice continues to drift to the south through Saturday.

-BERING SEA-

PKZ763-Kuskokwim Delta and Etolin Strait out to 15 nm-
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-
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-
PKZ765-North and West of Nunivak Island-
PKZ767-Saint Matthew Island Waters-
PKZ851-Southwest of Saint Lawrence Island from 15 to 100 nm-

In the Bering Sea, the ice edge extends from near Cape Newenham to
59 21N 167 38W to 61 30N 172 9W to 63 10N 177 3W and continues
into Russian waters. The ice edge is open water. There is also some
new sea ice in Bristol Bay between Cape Constantine and Egegik.

From land-based points in Alaska, the ice edge extends from near
Cape Newenham to 50 nm south of Cape Mohican to 135 nm south of
Gambell to 145 nm southwest of Gambell and continues into Russian
waters. The ice edge is open water. There is also some new sea ice
in Bristol Bay between Cape Constantine and Egegik.

FORECAST FOR THE BERING SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast confidence
is high. Northerly to northeasterly winds will persist across the
existing ice pack through Saturday. The existing ice pack will drift
generally south to southwestward through the forecast period as it
continues to thicken. Polynyas off south-facing coastlines will
continue to grow and advance southward. South of the Kuskokwim
Delta, wind will be more variable in direction and sea ice growth
will be minimal. Overall, expect the ice edge to advance south to
southwest approximately 10 nm per day through Saturday.

-COOK INLET-

PKZ740-Cook Inlet North of Kalgin Island-

SYNOPSIS...Low pressure will persist across most of the Gulf of
Alaska throughout the forecast period. However, high pressure is
expected to build over the eastern Gulf from Wednesday through
Saturday. A series of lows transit the Gulf of Alaska throughout the
forecast period.

The main ice edge extends from near the West Foreland to 60 30N 151
52W to near the East Foreland. The ice edge is open water.

From land-based points, the main ice edge extends from near the West
Foreland to Kalgin Island to near the East Foreland. The ice edge is
open water.

FORECAST FOR COOK INLET (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast confidence is
high. Northerly to northeasterly winds across the Cook Inlet region
will persist through tonight, then winds become highly variable as a
series of lows tracks across the Cook Inlet region from Tuesday
through Saturday. Temperatures will generally hover around the mid
30s through Saturday and, thus, sea ice will melt as air
temperatures generally remain above freezing.

&&
Fenrich