FZAK80 PAFC 272311

ICEAFC



Sea Ice Forecast for Western and Arctic Alaskan Coastal Waters

National Weather Service - Alaska Sea Ice Program

312 PM AKDT Wednesday 27 August 2025



FORECAST VALID...Monday 1 September 2025



ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE...Moderate to high



SYNOPSIS...A strong low over the high arctic will move over the

Canadian Archipelago on Thursday while weakening. A low pressure

from the Mainland will move into the southeastern Beaufort Sea late

Friday, then move east and weaken through the weekend. A low and

front from the Bering Sea will move over the southern Chukchi and

Beaufort Seas on Monday.



-BEAUFORT SEA-



PKZ505-Central US Arctic Offshore-

PKZ510-Eastern US Arctic Offshore-



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 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-



The main ice edge in the Beaufort Sea extends from near Demarcation

Point to 70 4’N 141 17’W to 70 5’N 140 25’W and continues east into

Canadian waters. The ice edge also runs from Oliktok Point to 71

43’N 154 53'W.  The ice edge is open water.





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

Sea extends from near Demarcation Point to 22 nm northwest of

Demarcation Point to 28 nm north of Demarcation Point and continues

east in Canadian waters. The ice edge also runs from Oliktok Point

to 35 nm northeast of Point Barrow.  The ice edge is open water.



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

confidence is moderate. Westerly winds will transition to easterly

Friday, followed by westerly again on Saturday. Southerly to

easterly winds on Sunday and Monday. Expect ice to move 5-10 nm/day

to the east through Thursday, followed by 5-15 nm to the west on

Friday. Over the weekend expect the regular motion of the Beaufort

Gyre to resume, enhanced by the wind, moving to the west 10-15

nm/day. Overall, the seasonal melt looks to continue with ice

gradually thinning. It is possible that some ice free areas begin to

appear within the ice edge.







-CHUKCHI SEA-



PKZ500-Western US Arctic Offshore-

PKZ505-Central US Arctic Offshore-



Ice covered.



PKZ813-Point Franklin to Cape Halkett out to 15 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 71 27’N 154

53’W to 70 59’N 159 30’W to 71 7’N 160 27’W to 71 42’N 160 22’W to

71 25’N 163 51’W to 72 1’N 163 59’W to 72 8’N 169 3’W and continues

in Russian water. The ice edge is open water.





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

Sea extends from 30 nm east-northeast of Point Barrow to 15 nm west

of Point Franklin to 35 nm west of Point Franklin to 55 nm northwest

of Point Franklin to 100 nm west of Point Franklin to 110 nm west-

northwest of Point Franklin to 200 nm west of Point Franklin and

continues into Russian waters. The ice edge is open water.



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

confidence is moderate. Northeasterly winds will persist through

Friday then switch to lighter southerly to southeasterly through

Monday. The ice lingering near navigational waters between

Wainwright and Utqiagvik will likely melt in the next week.

Otherwise expect a retreat of the ice edge of 10-15 nm with general

melting within the ice edge. It is possible that some ice free areas

begin to appear within the ice edge.







&&

Lawson