FZAK80 PAFC 212338

ICEAFC



Sea Ice Forecast for Western and Arctic Alaskan Coastal Waters

National Weather Service - Alaska Sea Ice Program

238 PM AKST Wednesday 21 January 2026





FORECAST VALID…Monday 26 January 2026





ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE…Moderate.





SYNOPSIS…Several systems lift into the Bering Sea from the north

Pacific Ocean through Saturday, bringing warmer temperatures into

the region. High pressure develops over the high arctic. A complex

low pressure system develops south of the Aleutian Chain on 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 45 to 80 nm-

PKZ860-Cape Halkett to Flaxman Island from 45 to 80 nm-





Ice covered.





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

confidence is high. Southerly winds turn westerly over the weekend

then from the north on Saturday. A new shear zone may develop along

the shorefast ice with the west winds. The late week southerlies

don't look strong enough to affect the shorefast ice at this point.

Pack ice may drift around 5-10 nm/day through Friday. On Saturday

some compaction of the pack ice into the shorefast ice is possible.





-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 covered.





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

confidence is high. Winds will remain southerly through Saturday.

Shorefast ice along north-facing coastlines will be vulnerable to

break-off, especially the Wales to Espenberg coastline. Northeasterly

winds come back on Sunday which will open a polynya along Point Hope

to Cape Krusenstern coastline.





-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-





Ice covered.





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-



The main ice edge in the Bering Sea extends from near 55 56’N 161

33’W to  57 25’N 159 45’W to 58 41’N 163 14’W to  57 20’N 163 28’W

to 58 41’N 170 50’W to 62 3’N 177 7’W and continues northwest in

Russian waters. The ice edge is marginal strips of ice.





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

Sea extends from 35 nm west of Port Moller to 48 nm northwest of

Port Heiden to 35 nm west of Cape Newenham to 90 nm southwest of

Cape Newenham to 90 nm north of Saint Paul Island to 180 nm

southwest of Gambell and continues northwest in Russian waters. The

ice edge is marginal strips of ice.





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

confidence is moderate. Winds will remain out of the southeast

through Saturday. Expect the ice edge to retreat 5-10 nm/day through

Saturday. Generally light winds in the Bristol Bay and Kuskokwim

Delta area will keep ice moving with tides and currents while

melting under a warmer air mass overhead through Friday. Sunday and

Monday winds will turn out of the northeast bringing another period

of advance, expect the ice edge to advance/grow 10-15 nm/day.









-COOK INLET-





PKZ740-Cook Inlet North of Kalgin Island-

PZK741-Kachemak Bay-

PKZ742-Cook Inlet Kalgin Island to Point Bede-





The main ice edge in Cook Inlet extends from near Anchor Point

to Augustine Volcano.





FORECAST FOR COOK INLET (DAYS 1 through 5)... Forecast confidence is

moderate. Light northerly winds persist through Monday. A warmer air

mass will melt new ice in place, and opening the pack ice slightly.

Ice will generally moves with tides and currents. The ice edge will

retreat in the far southern Inlet 10-20 nm through Monday but

otherwise not changes with the remainder of the ice pack.





Please note that ice motion in Cook Inlet is highly

influenced by tides.





&&

Lawson