521
FZAK80 PAFC 130017
ICEAFC

Sea Ice Forecast for Western and Arctic Alaskan Coastal Waters
National Weather Service - Alaska Sea Ice Program
317 PM AKDT Wednesday 12 November 2025

FORECAST VALID...Monday 17 November 2025

ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE...Moderate to high.

SYNOPSISHigh pressure will persist across the northern Chukchi Sea,
High Arctic, and Beaufort Sea through the forecast period, although
weak low pressure will form over the Beaufort Sea on Sunday and
Monday. Low pressure will persist across the Bering Sea and southern
Chukchi Sea through Monday as various lows traverse the Bering Sea.

-BEAUFORT SEA-

PKZ505-Central US Arctic Offshore-
PKZ510-Eastern US Arctic Offshore-
PKZ815-Flaxman Island to Demarcation Point out to 15 nm-
PKZ861-Flaxman Island to Demarcation Point from 45 to 80 nm-

Ice covered.

PKZ813-Point Franklin to Cape Halkett out to 15 nm-
PKZ814-Cape Halkett to Flaxman Island 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-

FORECAST FOR THE BEAUFORT SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast
confidence is high. Northeasterly winds shift northerly on Thursday
and will persist through Saturday. Winds become light and variable
Sunday and Monday due to a weak low forming. The Beaufort Sea is
almost completely ice covered, with only a small area of open water
remaining over the southern portion of the sea. Expect this area to
fill in with new ice while the main ice pack also advects southward.
Shorefast ice along the coast will remain intact given the long
period of northerly winds.

-CHUKCHI SEA-

PKZ505-Central US Arctic Offshore-
PKZ809-Motherwood Point to Cape Krusenstern out to 10 nm-

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-
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-

The main ice edge in the Chukchi Sea extends from near Wales to 66
54N 163 56W to 68 35N 166 54W to 71 54N 156 33W to 70 43N 165
24W to 72 13N 168 28W to 70 58N 172 2W to 69 4N 174 29W to 67
39N 167 4W to 66 9N 169 45W. The ice edge is open water.

From land-based points in Alaska, the main ice edge in the Chukchi
Sea extends from near Wales to 30 nm west of Kotzebue to 15 nm north
of Point Hope to 35 nm north of Utqiagvik to 125 nm west of Point
Franklin to 200 nm north of Cape Lisburne to 170 nm northwest of
Cape Lisburne to 235 nm west of Point Lay to 55 nm west of Kivalina
to 150 nm southwest of Kivalina. The ice edge is open water.

FORECAST FOR THE CHUKCHI SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast
confidence is high. Easterly to northeasterly winds will persist
through the forecast period. Sea ice is expected to drift west to
southwest approximately 10-15 nm per day. Overall, expect sea ice
growth throughout the forecast period, including along the coast and
especially 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-

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, and near Port Clarence.

FORECAST FOR THE BERING SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast confidence
is moderate. Easterly winds increase and shift northeasterly on
Friday as a low traverses the Alaska Peninsula. Winds become light
and variable on Saturday and then generally easterly again on Sunday
as another low approaches from the west. On Monday, winds become
southeasterly near the Y-K Delta, which will likely melt some of the
sea ice present along the Y-K Delta coast. Otherwise, throughout the
forecast period, expect sea ice to continue growing within Norton
Sound and along the coast from Wales to the Port Clarence area.

&&
Fenrich