Ice Forecast
Issued by NWS Anchorage, AK
Issued by NWS Anchorage, AK
993 FZAK80 PAFC 150011 ICEAFC Sea Ice Forecast for Western and Arctic Alaskan Coastal Waters National Weather Service - Alaska Sea Ice Program 311 PM AKDT Friday 14 November 2025 FORECAST VALID...Wednesday 19 November 2025 ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE...Moderate to high. SYNOPSISWidespread high pressure over the High Arctic, Beaufort Sea, and northern Chukchi Sea, and low pressure over the Bering Sea and southern Chukchi Sea will persist through Sunday. From Monday through Wednesday, various lows over the Bering Sea will gradually spread low pressure northward across the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas. -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. The Beaufort Sea is now completely ice covered. Northerly to northeasterly winds will become light and variable Sunday due to a weak low forming. On Monday, easterly winds develop and then shift southeasterly by Wednesday. Expect sea ice concentrations to continue increasing within the ice pack as new ice fills in, as well as for sea ice to drift southward through Saturday. From Monday through Wednesday, expect sea ice to drift westward approximately 5-10 nm per day. Southeasterly winds on Wednesday may promote small polynya formations off of shorefast ice along the North Slope coast. -CHUKCHI SEA- PKZ505-Central US Arctic Offshore- 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- PKZ855-Kotzebue Sound greater than 10 nm- Ice covered. PKZ500-Western US Arctic Offshore- PKZ807-Wales to Cape Espenberg 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- 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- The main ice edge in the Chukchi Sea extends from 68 31N 167 13W to 70 37N 162 30W to 71 44N 168 59W to 70 38N 177 42W to 68 39N 173 55W and back to 68 31N 167 13W. There is also an ice edge that extends from near Wales to 66 41N 164 25W to 67 43N 166 8W to 67 19N 166 18W to 67 22N 169 24W and continues into Russian waters. The ice edge is open water. From land-based points in Alaska, the main ice edge in the Chukchi Sea extends from 30 nm southwest of Cape Lisburne to 125 nm northeast of Cape Lisburne to 175 nm north of Cape Lisburne to 250 nm northwest of Cape Lisburne to 165 nm west-northwest of Cape Lisburne and back to 30 nm southwest of Cape Lisburne. There is also an ice edge that extends from near Wales to 60 nm south of Kivalina to 35 nm west of Kivalina to 45 nm southwest of Kivalina to 110 nm west of Kivalina and continues into Russian waters. The ice edge is open water. FORECAST FOR THE CHUKCHI SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast confidence is high. Northeasterly winds will generally persist through Wednesday. Thus, sea ice is expected to drift southwest approximately 10-15 nm per day. Overall, expect sea ice growth throughout the forecast period, including along the main ice edge, along the AK coast, and within Kotzebue Sound. -BERING SEA- PKZ762-Bristol Bay from Cape Chichagof to Cape Pierce out to 15 nm- 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- PKZ852-Norton Sound greater than 15 nm- The main ice edge in the Beaufort Sea begins near Wales and extends northeast into the Chukchi Sea. There is also ice along the Y-K Delta coast, within Norton Sound, near Port Clarence, and southern portions of Saint Lawrence Island. FORECAST FOR THE BERING SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast confidence is moderate. Northeasterly winds become light and variable briefly on Saturday morning before becoming moderate easterly winds through approximately Sunday. A low over the eastern Bering Sea is expected to bring southerly winds to the Y-K Delta coast on Monday while northeasterly winds develop for the Norton Sound and Seward Peninsula regions. By Wednesday, southeasterly winds spread to the Norton Sound and Seward Peninsula areas while northeasterly winds continue through the Bering Strait. Periods of southeasterly winds will likely melt any existing ice, especially along the Y-K Delta coast and northern Bristol Bay coast. Sea ice is expected to continue to grow within Norton Sound and along the coast from Wales to the Port Clarence area. && Fenrich