FZAK80 PAFC 042148

ICEAFC



Sea Ice Forecast for Western and Arctic Alaskan Coastal Waters

National Weather Service - Alaska Sea Ice Program

148 PM AKDT Friday 4 September 2026





FORECAST VALID…Wednesday 9 September 2026





ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE…High.





SYNOPSIS…High pressure builds over the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas. A

stalled front over northern Alaska slowly weakens through the

weekend. A weak low over the Chukchi Sea forms on Wednesday bringing

southerly winds to the ice edge.



-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.





The main ice edge in Alaska waters extends from near 70 48'N 152

11'W to 70 57'N 147 58'W to 71 54'N 154 54'W to 71 21'N 162 28'W to

73 31'N 169 15'W to 71 27'N 173 52'W to 66 59'N 171 56'W. The ice

edge is very open marginal brash ice.







From land-based points in Alaska, the main edge extends from Cape

Halkett to 40 nm northeast of Oliktok Point to 38 nm northeast of

Point Barrow to 100 nm west of Point Barrow to 230 nm northwest of

Point Franklin to 280 nm west of Point Franklin to 100 nm northwest

of Diomede. The ice edge is very open marginal brash ice.



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

confidence is high.





Easterly winds continue across navigational waters through

Wednesday. Easterly winds will align with the Beaufort Gyre and move

ice westward 10-15 nm/day through Sunday then slow to 5-10 nm/day

Monday through Wednesday. Expect continued slow degradation of

existing ice.





-CHUKCHI SEA-





PKZ500-Western US Arctic Offshore-

PKZ505-Central US Arctic Offshore-

PKZ813-Point Franklin to Cape Halkett out to 15 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-

PKZ855-Kotzebue Sound greater than 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-

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-



Ice free.





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

confidence is high.



Easterly winds continue along the northwest Alaska coast through

Sunday. Expect navigational  waters of the Alaska coast to become

ice free in the next few days.









-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