FZAK80 PAFC 012243 ICEAFC Sea Ice Forecast for Western and Arctic Alaskan Coastal Waters National Weather Service - Alaska Sea Ice Program 243 PM AKDT Friday 1 May 2026 FORECAST VALID…Wednesday 6 May 2026 ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE…Moderate. SYNOPSIS…Low pressure lifting through the Bering Straight this weekend will split into two with one storm moving over the Chukchi and the other over the Beaufort. High pressure will build over the Bering Sea Monday and Tuesday ahead of a low pressure system moving into the western Bering Sea on Wednesday. -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. Enhanced easterly winds through the weekend will weaken at the start of next week. -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 through Friday will remain northeasterly before southerly on Monday and weakening 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 58 40'N 157 54'W to 57 26'N 159 41'W to 58 36'N 160 40'W to 59 33'N 163 20'W to 60 2'N 169 30'W to 59 44'N 174 46'W to 60 59'N 178 14'E. The ice edge is marginal strips of ice. From land-based points in Alaska, the main ice edge in the Bering Sea extends from 30 nm southwest of Naknek to 42 nm west of Port Heiden to 30 nm south of Togiak to 23 nm south of Kwigillingok to 100 nm west of Cape Mendenhall to 71 nm southwest of Saint Matthew Island to 320 nm southwest of Gambell and continues north to the coast of Russia. The ice edge is marginal strips of ice. FORECAST FOR THE BERING SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast confidence moderate to high. A weakening low in the Bristol Bay region will dissipate as it moves inland on Friday. High pressure traversing the Aleutian Chain will allow northeasterly winds to persists through Wednesday, being enhanced by a Gulf low Monday and Tuesday. Expect marginal ice advance in the southeastern Bering Sea while southerly flow in the western Bering Sea will result in retreat. -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- There is no longer a main ice edge existing. Only patches of ice along the short north of the Forelands. FORECAST FOR COOK INLET (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast confidence is low to moderate. Continued southerly flow and warmer temperatures should allow most if not all of Cook Inlet to become ice free by mid week. Please note that ice motion in Cook Inlet is highly influenced by tides. &&