514
FZAK80 PAFC 312239
ICEAFC

Sea Ice Forecast for Western and Arctic Alaskan Coastal Waters
National Weather Service - Alaska Sea Ice Program
240 PM AKDT Friday 31 May 2024

FORECAST VALID...Wednesday 5 June 2024

ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE...High.

SYNOPSIS...A low over the western Aleutians will move east across
the southern Bering Sea through Saturday, then into the Gulf of
Alaska Sunday and Monday. High pressure will generally remain over
the Chukchi Sea through Monday, while weak low pressure extends into
the Beaufort Sea Monday through Wednesday.

The main ice edge extends along the west coast of Alaska from near
Kipnuk to near Kwikpak, then to 61 39N 168 5W to 61 43N 169 54W
to southeast Saint Lawrence Island, then from near Gambell to 63 5N
175 57W to 61 9N 175 21W to 60 49N 177 53W and continues
northwest in Russian waters.

From land-based points in Alaska, the main ice edge extends along
the west coast of Alaska from near Kipnuk to Kwikpak, then to 60 nm
west of Hooper Bay to 130 nm west of Hooper Bay to southeast Saint
Lawrence Island, then from near Gambell to 180 nm southwest of
Gambell to 140 nm southwest of Gambell to 250 nm southwest of
Gambell and continues in Russian waters. 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-
PKZ860-Cape Halkett to Flaxman Island from 15 nm to 80 nm-
PKZ861-Flaxman Island to Demarcation Point from 15 nm to 75 nm-

Ice covered.

FORECAST FOR THE BEAUFORT SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast
confidence is high. Westerly winds will become light northerly
through the weekend and into the middle of the week. The ice pack
will continue to be consolidated through Wednesday, with some
movement influenced by local currents.

-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-

Ice covered.

FORECAST FOR THE CHUKCHI SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast
confidence is high. Winds will remain out of the north to northeast
through Wednesday south of Point Barrow. These winds will help the
existing polynya off the northwest coast of Alaska to continue to
expand through the forecast period though it will move the pack to
the south. Sea ice will continue to thin between the Bering Strait
and Point Hope as well. A large polynya will open between Point Hope
and Kotzebue.

-BERING SEA-

PKZ763-Kuskokwim Delta and Etolin Strait out to 15 nm-
PKZ765-North and West of Nunivak Island-
PKZ767-Saint Matthew Island waters-
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-

FORECAST FOR THE BERING SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast confidence
is high. Winds will generally be northerly over the remaining sea
ice through Wednesday. Sea ice will continue to gradually melt
through the forecast period, especially south of Saint Lawrence
Island and within Norton Sound. Any remaining shorefast ice is
highly susceptible to breaking away as it continues to melt. Ice
free areas will continue to expand in Norton Sound and the southern
Bering Sea.

&&
Lawson