Ice Forecast
Issued by NWS Anchorage, AK
Issued by NWS Anchorage, AK
168 FZAK80 PAFC 182324 ICEAFC Sea Ice Forecast for Western and Arctic Alaskan Coastal Waters National Weather Service - Alaska Sea Ice Program 322 PM AKDT Friday 18 September 2026 FORECAST VALIDWednesday 23 September 2026 ANALYSIS CONFIDENCEHigh. SYNOPSIS...A strong low persists over the High Arctic bringing freezing temperatures and moderate westerly winds over the pack ice through Saturday. Pack ice from the High Arctic will advance southward. Winds weaken over the ice edge on Sunday then increase again by Monday as a secondary low moves northeastward over the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas. -BEAUFORT SEA- PKZ505-Central US Arctic Offshore- PKZ510-Eastern US Arctic Offshore- 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. PKZ813-Point Franklin to Cape Halkett out to 15 nm- Ice free. The main ice edge in the Alaska waters extends from near 70 49`N 152 6`W to 70 40`N 142 47`W to 71 17`N 151 7`W to 74 42`N 168 48`W and continues southwest into Russian waters. There is a patch of open water (<1/10 ice concentration) near 72`N 160`W. From land-based points in Alaska, the main edge extends from Cape Halkett to 35 nm north of Kaktovik to 30 nm northeast of Cape Halkett to 280 nm north of Icy Cape and continues southwest into Russian waters. There is a patch of open water (<1/10 ice concentration) 50 nm north of Point Franklin. The ice edge is open water. FORECAST FOR THE BEAUFORT SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast confidence is high. Winds will be light and variable for much of the period. On Monday a low from the Chukchi tracks northeastward into the Beaufort bringing moderate southwesterly winds. Expect persistent 5-10 nm daily ice drift through Wednesday to push marginal ice away from the Arctic coast. Warm sea surface temperatures will contribute to continued melt. -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- Ice free. FORECAST FOR THE CHUKCHI SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast confidence is high. There are patches of very open brash ice lingering off of the northwest Alaska coastline. Moderate westerly winds push ice eastward and warm sea surface temperatures contribute to continued melting. Alaska waters will likely be close to ice free by Wednesday. -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. && MJ