FZAK80 PAFC 102316

ICEAFC



Sea Ice Forecast for Western and Arctic Alaskan Coastal Waters

National Weather Service - Alaska Sea Ice Program 230 PM AKDT Friday

10 July 2026





FORECAST VALID…Wednesday 15 July 2026





ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE…High.





SYNOPSIS… Low pressure over the eastern Bering Sea will move up the

western mainland coast on Saturday, through the Bering Strait and

into the western Chukchi Sea by Sunday. A second low in the eastern

Bering Sea moves up the western mainland coast on Tuesday.





-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 northeasterly winds persist through the

period. Shorefast ice will continue to degrade with little change to

the existing 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-





The main ice edge in the Chukchi Sea extends from near 69 35'N 164

11'W to 69 03'N 169 09'W to 69 29'N 172 18'W to 67 39'N 172 32'W to

67 43’N 170 12’W.





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

Sea extends from 25 nm southwest of Point Lay to 65 nm northwest of

Cape Lisburne to 132 nm northwest of Cape Lisburne to 133 nm

southwest of Point Hope to 107 nm southwest of Point Hope. The ice

edge is open water.





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

confidence is high. Weak southerly flow becomes northerly on

Saturday expanding the marginal zone to the south. Winds shift to

southeasterly by late Sunday as the low moves into the western

Chukchi Sea. Marginal ice will continue to degrade along the ice

edge. The remaining ice in the Chukchi Sea is all old and first year

thick ice which means that seasonal melt rate will drastically slow

down. Kotzebue Sound will be ice free by Monday.





-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.







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

is high.







-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.







&&

Riedel