Ice Forecast
Issued by NWS Anchorage, AK
Issued by NWS Anchorage, AK
057 FZAK80 PAFC 182050 ICEAFC Sea Ice Forecast for Western and Arctic Alaskan Coastal Waters National Weather Service - Alaska Sea Ice Program 100 PM AKDT Wednesday 18 September 2024 FORECAST VALID...Monday 23 September 2024. ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE...Moderate. SYNOPSISA low over the eastern Beaufort Sea remains nearly stationary through Thursday before exiting east into Canadian waters on Friday. High pressure builds over the Chukchi Sea Thursday through Saturday. Various lows traverse the Southern Bering Sea through Saturday. The main ice edge extends from near 75 42N 134 59W to 76 14N 141 24W to 75 54N 158 75W to 74 28N 170 30W to 72 52N 175 5W and continues west into Russian waters. Ice lingers off the north coast of the Chukchi Peninsula. The ice edge is open water. From land-based point in Alaska, the main ice edge extends from 350 nm north-northeast of Demarcation Point to 380 nm north of Kaktovik to 265 nm north of Point Barrow to 305 nm northwest of Point Barrow to 175 nm west-northwest of Point Barrow to 325 nm northwest of Icy Cape and continues west into Russian waters. Ice lingers off the northern coast of the Chukchi Peninsula. The ice edge is open water. -BEAUFORT SEA- PKZ505-Central US Arctic Offshore-PKZ510-Eastern US Arctic Offshore- FORECAST FOR THE BEAUFORT SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast confidence is moderate. Northwesterly winds remain through Friday, then become westerly on Saturday and then northerly through Monday. General drift of the ice pack through Saturday will be approximately 10 nm per day in the direction of the wind. New ice is likely beginning to form along the edge of the main ice pack. -CHUKCHI SEA- PKZ500-Western US Arctic Offshore-PKZ505-Central US Arctic Offshore- FORECAST FOR THE CHUKCHI SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast confidence is moderate. Winds remain variable through Friday as high pressure builds over the area. Winds then shift to southeasterly on Saturday. Winds become southeasterly Sunday and Monday. General drift of the ice pack will be south up to 20 nm through Wednesday and approximately 10 nm northwest on Saturday. Pack ice continues to linger off the northern coast of the Chukchi Peninsula. &&