Ice Forecast
Issued by NWS Anchorage, AK
Issued by NWS Anchorage, AK
206 FZAK80 PAFC 282308 ICEAFC Sea Ice Forecast for Western and Arctic Alaskan Coastal Waters National Weather Service - Alaska Sea Ice Program 307 PM AKDT Monday 28 September 2026 FORECAST VALIDSaturday 3 October 2026 ANALYSIS CONFIDENCEHigh. SYNOPSIS A series of lows travel eastward over the ice pack bringing variable, moderate winds through Tuesday. A high from the Russian Arctic moves over the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas on Wednesday and persists through the end of the forecast period. Freezing temperatures are maintained over the entire forecast period, contributing to widespread freezing in and around the ice pack. The main ice edge in Alaska waters extends from near 70 11`N 146 53`W to 70 26`N 143 58`W to 71 36`N 152 24`W to 74 27`N 162 20`W to 71 32`N 177 39`W. The ice edge is open water. From land-based points in Alaska, the main edge extends from 25 nm east of Prudhoe Bay to 20 nm northwest of Kaktovik to 50 nm north of Cape Halkett to 210 nm north-northwest of Point Franklin. The ice edge is open water. -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- Ice covered. FORECAST FOR THE BEAUFORT SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast confidence is high. Moderate northerly winds weaken by Wednesday as high pressure builds over the region. Winds will remain light and variable through the remainder of the forecast period. Expect ice to drift southeastward 5-10 nm/day through Tuesday, then to drift with local tides and currents through Saturday. Freezing temperatures will see continued ice growth within and around the ice, particularly in the northern Beaufort Sea. -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- FORECAST FOR THE CHUKCHI SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast confidence is high. There are strips of very open brash ice in Russian waters 200 nm south of Wrangel Island. Otherwise, Alaskan waters are ice free. Moderate northerly winds are advancing the ice southward. This southward advance will accelerate as a cold front sweeps through on Tuesday. A return to light southerly winds on Thursday will slow the ice advance for the remainder of the forecast period. Expect the ice edge to expand southward 40 nm by Saturday. -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- PKZ850-Etolin Strait to Kwemeluk Pass from 15 to 90 nm- PKZ852-Norton Sound greater than 15 nm- PKZ853-Kwemeluk Pass to Kwikpak Pass from 15 to 90 nm- 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 Pierce out to 15 nm- PKZ764-Kuskokwim Delta from 15 to 80 nm- PKZ767-Saint Matthew Island Waters- PKZ816-South Side of Saint Lawrence Island out to 15 nm- PKZ817-North Side of Saint Lawrence Island out to 15 nm- PKZ851-Southwest of Saint Lawrence Island from 15 to 100 nm- PKZ854-Sledge Island to Wales greater than 15 nm- Ice free. FORECAST FOR THE BERING SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast confidence is high. -COOK INLET- PKZ730-West of Barren Islands including Kamishak Bay- PKZ740-Cook Inlet North of Kalgin Island- PZK741-Kachemak Bay- PKZ742-Cook Inlet Kalgin Island to Point Bede- Ice free. FORECAST FOR COOK INLET (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast confidence is high. && Jewell