FZAK80 PAFC 102334

ICEAFC



Sea Ice Forecast for Western and Arctic Alaskan Coastal Waters

National Weather Service - Alaska Sea Ice Program

300 PM AKDT Friday

10 April 2026





FORECAST VALID…Wednesday 15 April 2026





ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE…Moderate to high.





SYNOPSIS…Southerly flow returns in earnest across the region as

multiple troughs are set to lift across the western Bering into the

Chukchi Sea through the forecast period. The ice edge will retreat

as warm southerly flow persists over the Bering. A period of weak

northerly flow may develop Sunday into Monday as a wave of low

pressure moves from the western Bering into the Alaska Peninsula,

but little to no advancement or return of ice is anticipated before

the next low pressure system lifts into the western Bering and

southerly flow resumes.





-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. Light easterly to southeasterly winds become

predominantly northeasterly on Saturday. Break-off of shorefast ice

is not expected, however leads may form in between large pieces of

mobile pack ice.









-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. A trough will lift across the Chukchi Sea on

Saturday with increasing southerly winds to gale force.  Shorefast

ice may dislodge north of Point Hope and east of Cape Lisburne.

Northerly winds resume on Sunday as the low moves inland.

Northeasterly winds persist through 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-





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 54 58'N

164 07'W to 55 49'N 164 11'W to 56 18'N 166 02'W to 56 55'N 169 37'W

to 57 37'N 172 43'W to 59 05’N 174 09’W.



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

Sea extends from 11 nm east  of Cape Mordvinof to 55 nm north of

Cape Mordvinof to 98 nm north-northwest of Cape Sarichef to 119 nm

east of Saint George Island to 20 nm north of Saint George Island to

160 nm south of Saint Matthew Island to 150 nm west of Saint Matthew

Island and northwest into Russian waters.











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

is moderate to high. Southerly winds continue into Saturday, then

shift to westerly through Sunday. A weak ridge brings a brief shift

to northwesterly on Monday before the next system pushes its front

to the central Bering, resuming southerly flow for Tuesday and

Wednesday .





-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-





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

Augustine Volcano. There is also ice in Kamishak Bay flowing into

Shelikof Strait.



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

moderate as satellite imagery was limited. Ice retreating ahead of

schedule as clear skies have led to plenty of diurnal warming. Brief

southward advancement of ice may occur during the overnight hours,

but the overall trend should see ice continue retreat northward into

the weekend largely due to the warmer temperatures as winds will

remain generally light.





Please note that ice motion in Cook Inlet is highly influenced by

tides.





&&

Riedel