070
FZAK80 PAFC 012017
ICEAFC

Sea Ice Forecast for Western and Arctic Alaskan Coastal Waters
National Weather Service - Alaska Sea Ice Program
1117 AM AKDT Monday 1 December 2025

FORECAST VALID...Saturday 6 December 2025

ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE...Moderate to low.

SYNOPSIS...A low just south of the Aleutian Islands and Alaska
Peninsula lingers there while it weakens through mid-week. On
Thursday, it combines with a stronger low pressure system located
near the Kamchatka Peninsula. On Friday and Saturday, various lows
will traverse the southern Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska. High
pressure will generally persist across the Chukchi Sea, High Arctic,
and Beaufort Sea through the forecast period. There will be brief
periods of weak low pressure that develop across the Beaufort 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 45 to 80 nm-
PKZ860-Cape Halkett to Flaxman Island from 45 to 80 nm-
PKZ861-Flaxman Island to Demarcation Point from 45 to 80 nm-

Ice covered.

FORECAST FOR THE BEAUFORT SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast
confidence is high. Generally westerly winds will persist across the
Bering Sea through Thursday, although by Wednesday, winds along the
northern coast will shift southwesterly. Winds become light and
variable on Friday and then westerly to northerly on Saturday due to
a low near the Canadian Archipelago. During periods of westerly
winds, expect a shear zone to develop between the pack ice and the
shorefast ice along the Beaufort Sea coast. Any periods of
southwesterly winds near the coast may briefly separate the main ice
pack from the shorefast ice.

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

Ice covered.

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-

Two areas of open water exist from outside of Kotzebue Sound to west
of Cape Lisburne, and also west of Icy Cape. These open water areas
continue to decrease in size as new ice forms.

FORECAST FOR THE CHUKCHI SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast
confidence is high. Northerly to northwesterly winds will persist
through about mid-week. By Thursday, weak southerly winds develop,
and then by Saturday, northeasterly winds develop. Overall, expect
the remaining areas of open water to continue freezing up and for
the Chukchi Sea to be completely ice covered by the end of the
forecast period.

-BERING SEA-

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-
PKZ852-Norton Sound greater than 15 nm-

Ice covered.

PKZ761-Bristol Bay from Port Heiden to Cape Chichagof out to 15 nm-
PKZ762-Bristol Bay from Cape Chichagof to Cape Pierce out to 15 nm-
PKZ763-Kuskokwim Delta and Etolin Strait out to 15 nm-
PKZ764-Kuskokwim Delta from 15 to 80 nm-
PKZ765-North and West of Nunivak Island
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-
PKZ853-Kwemeluk Pass to Kwikpak Pass from 15 to 90 nm-
PKZ854-Sledge Island to Wales greater than 15 nm-

The main ice edge in the Bering Sea extends from near Cape Newenham
to 61 24N 167 32W to 62 47N 168 6W to 63 56N 167 5W to 64 9N
171 8W and continues southwest in Russian waters. The ice edge is
open water.

From land-based points in Alaska, the main ice edge in the Bering
Sea extends from near Cape Newenham to 40 nm west-southwest of
Hooper Bay to 93 nm northwest of Hooper Bay to 70 nm southwest of
Nome to 115 nm south-southwest of Wales and continues southwest in
Russian waters. The ice edge is open water.

FORECAST FOR THE BERING SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast confidence
is high. Northerly to northeasterly winds will persist through the
forecast period. The winds are expected to be moderate to strong
through approximately Wednesday, light to moderate on Thursday, and
then moderate to strong again on Saturday. Expect the ice edge to
advance southwest around 10-20 nm/day. There is also ice growing
around Saint Lawrence Island, and that ice is expected to continue
growing throughout the forecast period.

-COOK INLET-

PKZ740-Cook Inlet North of Kalgin Island-

The main ice edge in Cook Inlet extends from near Tyonek to 61 8N
150 36W to near Point Possession.  The ice edge is open water.

From land-based points in Alaska, the main ice edge in Cook Inlet
extends from near Tyonek to 16 nm northeast of Tyonek to near Point
Possession. The ice edge is open water.

FORECAST FOR COOK INLET (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast confidence is
moderate. A warmer air mass will pause ice growth through
approximately Wednesday. From Thursday through Saturday, a much
colder air mass will advect over Cook Inlet and sea ice growth is
expected to resume.

&&
Fenrich