349
FZAK80 PAFC 312246
ICEAFC

Sea Ice Forecast for Western and Arctic Alaskan Coastal Waters
National Weather Service - Alaska Sea Ice Program
246 PM AKDT Friday 31 October 2025

FORECAST VALID...Wednesday 5 November 2025

ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE...Moderate to high.

SYNOPSIS...A large low pressure system is centered over the Gulf of
Alaska and is spreading low pressure across the entire state of
Alaska, the Bering Sea, and the southern Chukchi and Beaufort Seas.
The low will weaken over the weekend and form a weak secondary low
over the Bering Strait on Sunday and Monday. A different low will
track east across the Aleutian Islands on Sunday. High pressure will
linger over the High Arctic through Wednesday, and high pressure
will eventually spread across all of the Beaufort Sea by Monday and
then across all of the Chukchi Sea by Wednesday.

-BEAUFORT SEA-

PKZ505-Central US Arctic Offshore-
PKZ510-Eastern US Arctic Offshore-

Ice covered.

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 140 nm-
PKZ860-Cape Halkett to Flaxman Island from 45 to 60 nm-
PKZ861-Flaxman Island to Demarcation Point from 20 to 45 nm-

The main ice edge in the Beaufort Sea extends from 71 43N 154 29W
to 71 23N 149 49W to 70 5N 145 27W to 70 41N 149 52W and then
back to 71 43N 154 29W. The ice edge is open water.

From land-based points in Alaska, the main ice edge in the Beaufort
Sea extends from 35 nm north-northeast of Ikiak to 50 nm north of
Oliktok Point to 85 nm northeast of Oliktok Point to 10 nm north of
Oliktok Point and then back to 35 nm north-northeast of Ikiak. The
ice edge is open water.

FORECAST FOR THE BEAUFORT SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast
confidence is moderate. Across the southern Beaufort Sea, moderate
northeasterly winds will shift easterly from Monday through
Wednesday. The area that is sea ice free continues to shrink as sea
ice grows within the pack and along the ice edge and coast. Expect
this trend to continue throughout the forecast period. Also, expect
sea ice to drift southwest about 10-15 nm per day through Monday and
then to the west thereafter. Across the northern Beaufort Sea, winds
will be lighter and more variable and so sea ice movement should be
minimal there.

-CHUKCHI SEA-

PKZ505-Central US Arctic Offshore-

Ice covered.

PKZ500-Western 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-
PKZ858-Cape Beaufort to Point Franklin from 15 to 85 nm-
PKZ859-Point Franklin to Cape Halkett from 15 to 75 nm-

The main ice edge in the Chukchi Sea extends from near Cape Lisburne
to 70 36N 161 4W to 71 3N 164 43W to 72 39N 163 22W to 72 52N
167 50W to 70 37N 170 10W and continues into Russian waters. The
ice edge is open water. There is also sea ice growing within
Kotzebue Sound.

From land-based points in Alaska, the main ice edge in the Chukchi
Sea extends from near Cape Lisburne to 25 nm northeast of Icy Cape
to 70 nm northwest of Icy Cape to 140 nm north of Icy Cape to 185 nm
northwest of Icy Cape to 130 nm north-northwest of Cape Lisburne and
continues into Russian waters. The ice edge is open water. There is
also sea ice growing within Kotzebue Sound.

FORECAST FOR THE CHUKCHI SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast
confidence is moderate. Moderate northeasterly winds will shift
easterly on Sunday and then southeasterly Monday and Tuesday. On
Wednesday, winds will shift northerly to northwesterly. Through the
forecast period, sea ice will continue to grow within the main ice
pack, along the ice edge, and along the NW AK coast. Expect sea ice
to drift to the southwest at about 10-15 nm per day through
Saturday, to the west on Sunday, and then to the northwest on Monday
and Tuesday. Sea ice is expected to drift back southward starting on
Wednesday.

-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-

FORECAST FOR THE BERING SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast confidence
is moderate. Strong to moderate northwesterly winds will decrease
and shift westerly on Sunday. Winds will be variable on Monday and
Tuesday as a low traverses the Aleutian Islands and also the Bering
Strait. Northerly winds will develop on Wednesday. Sea ice has
continued to grow along various portions of the western AK coast,
specifically from near Takiketak to near Cape Krusenstern. Expect
sea ice to continue growing within protected areas along the coast.

&&
Fenrich