FZAK80 PAFC 262302

ICEAFC



Sea Ice Forecast for Western and Arctic Alaskan Coastal Waters

National Weather Service - Alaska Sea Ice Program

302 PM AKDT Friday 26 June 2026





FORECAST VALID…Wednesday 1 July 2026





ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE…High.





SYNOPSIS…Low pressure sits over the North Pole while high pressure

stretches across the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas. Low pressure remains

across Interior Alaska. The broad high arctic low pressure will

expand across the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas through the period.



-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. Generally light and variable winds will

transition to light southwesterly winds on Monday and Tuesday.

Shorefast ice should remain in place, with small polynyas forming

off of the shorefast ice. Near shore ice will continue to degrade.









-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.



The main ice edge in the Chukchi Sea extends from near 66 16'N 166

4'W to 66 59'N 164 43'W to 68 35'N 169 18'W to 66 16'N 170 11'W. The

ice edge is open water.





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

Sea extends from near Shishmaref to 45 nm south of Kivalina to 55 nm

west of Point Hope to 42 nm northwest of Diomede. The ice edge is

open water.







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

confidence is high. Light northerlies will persist through Sunday.

Expect the navigational waters around Point Hope to stay in marginal

ice, providing a link to the large polynya between Cape Lisburne and

Wainwright. Ice will likely continue to drift northward with the

currents, but the northerly winds could bring it to a stop or very

slow progression ~5 nm/day northward.







-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-

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-





Ice free.





A patch of brashy ice lingers 85 to 100 nautical miles east of St.

Matthew Island and on the eastern end of St Lawrence Island to 40

nautical miles northeast of St. Lawrence Island.







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

is high. There will likely be a small patch of remaining brash ice

northeast of Saint Lawrence Island. Otherwise expect the Bering Sea

to be ice free.





-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-





Ice free.



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

high.





&&

Lawson