535
FZAK80 PAFC 270003
ICEAFC

Sea Ice Forecast for Western and Arctic Alaskan Coastal Waters
National Weather Service - Alaska Sea Ice Program
303 PM AKDT Wednesday 26 November 2025

FORECAST VALID...Monday 1 December 2025

ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE...High.

SYNOPSIS...A weakening low pressure over the Alaska Peninsula
weakens and moves inland through Friday.  Another mature system
approaches the Alaska Peninsula, swinging a front and new low
pressure into the Gulf of Alaska late Saturday 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 45 to 80 nm-
PKZ860-Cape Halkett to Flaxman Island from 45 to 80 nm-
PKZ861-Flaxman Island to Demarcation Point from 45 to 80 nm-

Ice covered.

FORECAST FOR THE BEAUFORT SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast
confidence is high. Easterly winds will continue through Friday. The
prolonged easterly winds will develop a shear zone between the pack
ice and the shorefast ice along the Beaufort Sea coast. The pack
will move to the west 10 to 15 nm/day. Saturday and Sunday, light
southwesterly winds will test the shorefast ice, but will likely be
weak enough that no shorefast break-off is expected.

-CHUKCHI SEA-

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-
PKZ810-Cape Krusenstern to Cape Thompson out to 15 nm-
PKZ813-Point Franklin to Cape Halkett out to 15 nm-
PKZ855-Kotzebue Sound greater than 10 nm-
PKZ859-Point Franklin to Cape Halkett from 15 to 75 nm-

Ice covered.

PKZ500-Western US Arctic Offshore-
PKZ807-Wales to Cape Espenberg out to 15 nm-
PKZ811-Cape Thompson to Cape Beaufort out to 15 nm-
PKZ812-Cape Beaufort to Point Franklin out to 15 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-

The Bering Strait has frozen with new ice, however two areas of ice
free condition/open water exist outside of Kotzebue Sound as well as
west of Point Hope.

FORECAST FOR THE CHUKCHI SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast
confidence is moderate. Easterly winds will transition to
southwesterly as a weak decaying low pressure center traverses the
area. Northerly winds and a colder air mass filter in behind that
system. Expect the remaining areas of open water to be mostly frozen
up by Monday.


-BERING SEA-

PKZ802-Dall Point to Kwikpak Pass out to 15 nm-
PKZ803-Kwikpak Pass to Cape Stephens out to 15 nm-

Ice covered.

PKZ761-Bristol Bay from Port Heiden to Cape Chichagof out to 15 nm-
PKZ762-Bristol Bay from Cape Chichagof to Cape Pierce out to 15 nm-
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-
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-
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-

The main ice edge in the Bering Sea extends from near Cape Newenham
to 61 23N 167 54W to 62 22N 167 49W to 63 12N 165 58W to 65
33N 168 48W and continues southwest in Russian waters. The ice
edge is open water.

From land-based points in Alaska, the main ice edge in the Bering
Sea extends from near Cape Newenham to 50 nm west-southwest of
Hooper Bay to 70 nm northwest of Hooper Bay to 45 nm west of Kwikpak
to 17 nm southwest of Wales and continues southwest in Russian
waters. The ice edge is open water.

FORECAST FOR THE BERING SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast confidence
is moderate. Weakening winds will cause sea ice to move generally
with tides and currents through mid-Saturday. Saturday through
Monday, strengthening northerly winds will advance the ice edge to
the southwest around 10-20 nm/day


-COOK INLET-

PKZ740-Cook Inlet North of Kalgin Island-

There is ice growing in Turnagain Arm and Knik Arm, primarily on the
mudflats. This ice is getting moved off the mudflats with the tides.

FORECAST FOR COOK INLET (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast confidence is
moderate. A warmer air mass and winds through Turnagain Arm will
pause ice growth for the time being. Existing ice will be advected
into the upper Inlet where it will quickly melt in warmer sea
surface temperatures.

&&
Lawson