Ice Forecast
Issued by NWS Anchorage, AK
Issued by NWS Anchorage, AK
895 FZAK80 PAFC 162219 ICEAFC Sea Ice Forecast for Western and Arctic Alaskan Coastal Waters National Weather Service - Alaska Sea Ice Program 220 PM AKDT Monday 16 September 2024 FORECAST VALID...Saturday 21 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 Bering Sea through Saturday. The main ice edge extends from near 75 32N 134 58W to 76 43N 141 7W to 75 54N 158 56W to 74 32N 171 7W to 73 11N 164 31W to 73 12N 177 16W 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 high. Easterly winds shift northerly on Wednesday, northwesterly from Thursday through Friday, and then westerly on Saturday. 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 high. Northerly winds persist through Wednesday and then become variable through Friday as high pressure builds over the area. Winds shift southeasterly on Saturday. 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. && Fenrich