588
FZAK80 PAFC 072107
ICEAFC

Sea Ice Forecast for Western and Arctic Alaskan Coastal Waters
National Weather Service - Alaska Sea Ice Program
107 PM AKDT Friday 7 June 2024

FORECAST VALID...Wednesday 12 June 2024

ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE...Moderate.

SYNOPSIS...Weak low pressure from the Mainland will drift in the
Bering Strait region briefly making the winds in the area fairly
light and variable. Otherwise a low pressure system sits south of
the Alaska Peninsula and remain through Wednesday. A weak low will
drive north of the Seward Peninsula on Wednesday.

The main ice edge extends from near Wales to 63 55N 166 37W to 61
23N 169 52W to 62 17N 172 9W to southeast Saint Lawrence Island
then continues from Gambell westward into Russian waters. The ice
edge is open water. There is remaining brash ice near the upper
Yukon Delta as well as west of Nome.


From land-based points in Alaska, the main ice edge extends from
near Wales to 50 nm southwest of Nome to 125 nm west of Hooper Bay
to 100 nm south of Gambell to southeast Saint Lawrence Island then
continues from Gambell westward into Russian waters. The ice edge is
open water. There is remaining brash ice near the upper Yukon Delta
as well as west of Nome.

-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-
PKZ860-Cape Halkett to Flaxman Island from 15 nm to 80 nm-
PKZ861-Flaxman Island to Demarcation Point from 15 nm to 75 nm-

Ice covered.

FORECAST FOR THE BEAUFORT SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast
confidence is high. East winds will persist through the period. The
ice pack will continue to be consolidated through Wednesday. Expect
shorefast ice to begin to degrade from river discharge.

-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-

Ice covered.

FORECAST FOR THE CHUKCHI SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast
confidence is high. Winds will be primarily lighter northerly except
for a period of variable winds late Friday and Saturday. Pack ice in
the southern Chukchi Sea will loosen up through Saturday afternoon
before returning to a compact state through Wednesday. Expect the
polyna to remain open from Wainwright to Kivalina. There is a
possibility of another period of loosening of the pack ice on
Wednesday with a period of southerly winds.

-BERING SEA-

PKZ763-Kuskokwim Delta and Etolin Strait out to 15 nm-
PKZ765-North and West of Nunivak Island-
PKZ767-Saint Matthew Island waters-
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-

FORECAST FOR THE BERING SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast confidence
is high. Winds be light and variable through Saturday afternoon then
will generally be northerly over the remaining sea ice through
Wednesday. Sea ice will rapidly melt through the forecast period.
Ice free areas of Norton Sound and the southern Bering Sea will
continue to expand. The only remaining pack ice will be northeast of
Saint Lawrence Island and through the Bering Strait. Pack ice will
continue to flow through the Bering Strait.


&&
Lawson