FZAK80 PAFC 072155

ICEAFC



Sea Ice Forecast for Western and Arctic Alaskan Coastal Waters

National Weather Service - Alaska Sea Ice Program

155 PM AKDT Friday 7 August 2026





FORECAST VALID…Wednesday 12 August 2026





ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE…High.





SYNOPSIS…Broad low pressure over the high arctic into the east

Siberian Sea, while high pressure builds 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.





Melt will continue along the coast while the pack ice slowly

degrades into marginal ice. The marginal ice zone near the Mackenzie

River Delta will slowly expand westward ~5 nm or less per day.

Overall slow change to the remaining ice without any major wind

forcing. Tides and currents will be the predominant move of ice for

the 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-







The main ice edge in the Chukchi Sea extends from near 70 45'N 159

46'W to 71 1'N 167 5'W to 69 47'N 167 56'W to 69 44'N 170 45'W to 71

6'N 175 33'W to 68 16'N 172 10'W to 68 0'N 167 56'W to 67 2'N 170

12'W to 65 57'N 169 19'W. The ice edge is open water.



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

Sea extends from near Wainwright to 140 nm west of Wainwright to 65

nm north-northwestwest of Cape Lisburne to 105 nm northwest of Cape

Lisburne to 225 nm northwest of Cape Lisburne to 115 nm west of

Point Hope to 30 nm southwest of Point Hope to 105 nm southwest of

Point Hope to 15 nm northwest of Diomede and continues west in

Russian waters. The ice edge is open water.





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

confidence is high.



In general, southeast winds will retreat the ice edge in the Chukchi

Sea. The area of marginal ice along the Russian coast will continue

to expand northeast under these winds, however they will hasten the

melt as this ice moves into warmer waters. Navigational waters

around Utqiagvik will remain in very open to open sea ice.







-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.





&&



Lawson