FZAK80 PAFC 172215

ICEAFC



Sea Ice Forecast for Western and Arctic Alaskan Coastal Waters

National Weather Service - Alaska Sea Ice Program

215 PM AKDT Wednesday 17 September 2025



FORECAST VALID...Monday 22 September 2025



ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE...High to moderate.



SYNOPSIS...High pressure remains over the high Arctic for the next

several days. Low pressure over the Bering Sea spreads north across

the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas by Thursday and persists through

Monday.



-BEAUFORT SEA-



PKZ505-Central US Arctic Offshore-

PKZ510-Eastern US Arctic Offshore-

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 73 22’N 154 56’W

to 71 20’N 147 1’W to 70 22’N 143 35’W to 70 22’N 138 56’W and

continues east into Canadian waters. The ice edge is open water.



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

Sea extends from 130 nm north of Ikiak to 65 nm north of Flaxman

Island to 13 nm north of Kaktovik to 60 nm northeast of Demarcation

Point and continues east into Canadian waters. The ice edge is open

water.



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

confidence is moderate. Northeasterly winds shift northerly mid-day

Thursday and then northwesterly later on Friday. By mid-day

Saturday, winds become westerly and then southwesterly by mid-day on

Sunday. On Monday, southerly winds will develop. Sea ice will move

in the direction of the winds about 10 to 15 nm/day, which will

generally be southward through mid-day Saturday, eastward through

Sunday, and then northward on Monday. New ice continues to grow away

from the pack around 78N.



-CHUKCHI SEA-



PKZ500-Western US Arctic Offshore-

PKZ505-Central US Arctic Offshore-

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 73 22’N 154 56’W

to 73 9’N 162 1’W to 73 40’N 171 1’W to 72 9’N 172 38’W and

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

There is also an area of old ice at about 71 31’N 160 24’W.



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

Sea extends from 130 nm north of Ikiak to 140 nm north-northwest of

Point Franklin to 265 nm northwest of Point Franklin to 260 nm west-

northwest of Point Franklin and continues southwest into Russian

waters. The ice edge is open water. There is also an area of old ice

about 45 nm north-northwest of Point Franklin.



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

confidence is moderate. Northeasterly winds will generally persist

through Saturday and then become northerly by Sunday and Monday. Sea

ice is expected to drift southwestward about 10 to 15 nm/day through

Saturday and then southward about 5 to 10 nm/day through Monday. The

area of old ice near 71 31’N 160 24’W is expected to continue

degrading through the forecast period.



&&

Fenrich