FZAK80 PAFC 202212

ICEAFC



Sea Ice Forecast for Western and Arctic Alaskan Coastal Waters

National Weather Service - Alaska Sea Ice Program

215 PM AKDT Monday 20 July 2026



FORECAST VALID…Friday 25 July 2026



ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE…High.



SYNOPSIS…High pressure remains over the high arctic, Chukchi Sea,

and Beaufort Sea through the period. Wednesday, Low pressure will

lift from the Bering into Norton Sound, before moving over

the Mainland.



-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 flow will continue

through the period. Coastal melt and expansion of the

marginal ice zone will continue.



-CHUKCHI SEA-



PKZ500-Western US Arctic Offshore-

PKZ505-Central US Arctic Offshore-

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.



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-



Ice free.



The main ice edge in the Chukchi Sea extends from near 70 10'N

162 24'W to 70 35'N 161 54'W to 69 14'N 170 57'W to 69 45'N 173 43'W to

66 9'N 169 13'W to 65 36'N 170 26'W.



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

Chukchi Sea extends from 13 nm southwest of Ice Cape to 16 nm

north of Ice Cape to 100 nm west of Cape Lisburne to 160 nm

west of Cape Lisburne to 23 nm northwest of Diomede to 38 nm

southwest of Diomede.





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

confidence is high. Weak northeasterlies will continue. Ice free

conditions will expand to near Wainwright. Navigational waters from

Point Franklin through Utqiagvik will continue to open through the

period though northeasterly winds will keep the edge of the pack ice

in place through Friday.



-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.





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