FZAK80 PAFC 022319

ICEAFC



Sea Ice Forecast for Western and Arctic Alaskan Coastal Waters

National Weather Service - Alaska Sea Ice Program

319 PM AKDT Wednesday 2 July 2025



FORECAST VALID...Monday 7 July 2025



ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE...High



SYNOPSIS...Low pressure over the Bering Sea will linger there

through Saturday and then high pressure will spread across the sea

on Sunday and Monday. High pressure across the Beaufort Sea will

spread southwestward across the Chukchi Sea from Thursday through

Saturday. Then, low pressure will spread across both the Chukchi and

Beaufort Seas on Sunday and Monday.



-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 15 to 75 nm-

PKZ860-Cape Halkett to Flaxman Island from 15 to 80 nm-

PKZ861-Flaxman Island to Demarcation Point from 15 to 75 nm-



Ice covered.



FORECAST FOR THE BEAUFORT SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast

confidence is high. Winds along the Beaufort Sea coast will remain

easterly through Friday and then become light and variable on

Saturday. For Sunday and Monday, winds will be westerly to

northwesterly. Expect sea ice to continue moving westward around 5-

10 nm/day through Friday. Then, sea ice will likely move eastward on

Sunday and Monday. Much of the shorefast ice will degrade through

the forecast period.



-CHUKCHI SEA-



PKZ500-Western US Arctic Offshore-

PKZ505-Central US Arctic Offshore-

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-

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 covered.



The main ice edge extends from near Espenberg to 69 4’N 169 48’W to

69 43’N 168 22’W and continues into Russian waters. The ice edge is

open water.



From land-based points in Alaska, the main ice edge extends from

near Espenberg to 75 nm northwest of Point Hope to 85 nm north-

northwest of Point Hope and continues west into Russian waters. The

ice edge is open water.



FORECAST FOR THE CHUKCHI SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast

confidence is high. Easterly to southeasterly winds will continue

along the ice edge through mid Thursday. Winds shift generally

northerly for the remainder of Thursday, southerly on Friday, and

northerly again on Sunday and Monday. Expect the ice from near

Espenberg to Point Hope and to the northwest of Cape Lisburne to

decay to marginal by Saturday. Overall, expect general

melting/retreat of the ice edge to persist through the forecast

period.



&&

Fenrich