136
FZAK80 PAFC 162302
ICEAFC

Sea Ice Forecast for Western and Arctic Alaskan Coastal Waters
National Weather Service - Alaska Sea Ice Program
301 PM AKDT Wednesday 16 April 2025

FORECAST VALID...Monday 21 April 2025.

ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE...High to moderate.

SYNOPSIS...A low over the eastern Bering Sea will spread low
pressure north across the Chukchi Sea through Friday and then high
pressure will build through Monday. Across the Beaufort Sea and high
Arctic, high pressure will generally persist through Monday,
although weak low pressure is expected across the southern Beaufort
from Thursday into Friday. A series of lows will move east across
the Bering Sea through the forecast period.

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

Ice covered.

FORECAST FOR THE BEAUFORT SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast
confidence is high. Winds will be northeasterly through the forecast
period. Expect the ice pack to drift west-southwestward 5 to 10
nm/day through Monday. Sea ice near the Alaska coastline will likely
move very little overall through the forecast period.

-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-
PKZ859-Point Franklin to Cape Halkett from 15 to 75 nm-

Ice covered.

FORECAST FOR THE CHUKCHI SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast
confidence is high. North of Point Hope, northeasterly winds will
persist through Friday, becoming easterly by Saturday, and then
northeasterly again by Monday. Expect polynyas to persist and expand
off of the western-facing coast/shorefast ice. South of Point Hope,
winds will be more variable but generally northerly/northwesterly
through Thursday, westerly Friday and Saturday, and then northerly
by Monday. Little sea ice movement is expected through Monday.

-BERING SEA-

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-
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-

Ice covered.

PKZ414-Bering Sea Offshore East of 171W-
PKZ760-Bristol Bay greater than 15 NM-
PKZ761-Bristol Bay from Port Heiden to Cape Chichagof out to 15 nm-
PKZ762-Bristol Bay from Cape Chichagof to Cape Peirce out to 15 nm-
PKZ764-Kuskokwim Delta from 15 to 80 nm-
PKZ767-Saint Matthew Island Waters-

The main ice edge extends from near Cape Newenham to 57 35N 165 2W
to 57 38N 170 2W to 58 24N 172 48W to 61 8N 178 2W and
continues into Russian waters. The ice edge is open water.

From land-based points in Alaska, the main ice edge extends from
near Cape Newenham to 160 nm northeast of Saint Paul to 25 nm north
of Saint Paul to 110 nm northwest of Saint Paul to 235 nm southwest
of Gambell and continues into Russian waters. The ice edge is open
water.

FORECAST FOR THE BERING SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast confidence
is high. Northerly winds across the ice pack will become
northwesterly by Thursday, weaker and generally westerly on Friday,
increasing northeasterly from Saturday to Sunday, and then northerly
on Monday. Sea ice will drift south/southeast 10 to 15 nm through
Thursday before slowing to around 5 to 10 nm as winds weaken towards
the end of the week. By Saturday, the main ice pack will start to
move to the southwest, although a low near the Pribilof Islands may
produce variable wind directions there.

&&
Fenrich