FZAK80 PAFC 242305 ICEAFC Sea Ice Forecast for Western and Arctic Alaskan Coastal Waters National Weather Service - Alaska Sea Ice Program 300 PM AKDT Friday 24 July 2026 FORECAST VALID…Wednesday 29 July 2026 ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE…High. SYNOPSIS…The main feature this forecast period will be an arctic trough digging into the Beaufort Sea over the weekend while its front tracks southeastward through the Chukchi Sea. Weak high pressure sets in across much of the region early next week before a second yet weaker low pressure system moves across the Beaufort 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. Current light southerly to southwesterly winds will strengthen out of the south on Saturday in advance of a passing low pressure system and front. Behind the front, winds will remain gusty and out of the west or northwest Sunday into early Monday. Winds will relax late Monday into Tuesday. A second yet weaker system moves into the Beaufort Sea on Wednesday. This second system will promote southerly winds and warmer temperatures. -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 Bering Sea extends from near 66 3'N 169 25'W to 67 9'N 169 53'W to 67 7'N 171 23'W to 69 53'N 175 54'W to 70 19'N 175 5'W to 69 25'N 170 29'W to 70 5'N 167 57'W to 71 1'N 167 58'W to 70 34'N 165 46'W to 70 42'N 159 55'W. From land-based points in Alaska, the main ice edge in the Chukchi Sea extends from 20 nm west-northwest of Diomede to 100 nm west of Shishmaref to 100 nm west-northwest of Diomede to 200 nm west of Point Hope to 200 nm west-northwest of Point Hope to 100 nm west- northwest of Point Hope to 80 nm northwest of Wevok to 100 nm northwest of Point Lay to 70 nm northwest of Point Lay to the coast of Wainwright. FORECAST FOR THE CHUKCHI SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast confidence is high. Saturday will see a strong front drop soutwhard into the Bering Strait with gusty northerly winds developing through Sunday across the Chukchi Sea. Northerly winds combined with cooler temperatures will promote a brief southeast advancement of the ice edge (5 to 10 nm) through early next week. A second low pressure system skirts the Beaufort Sea on Wednesday with light to moderate southerly flow and warmer temperatures returning to the Chukchi Sea. -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. BL &&