####018005577#### FZAK80 PAFC 172357 ICEAFC Sea Ice Forecast for Western and Arctic Alaskan Coastal Waters National Weather Service - Alaska Sea Ice Program 257 PM AKST Monday 17 February 2025 FORECAST VALID...Saturday 22 February 2025 ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE...High to moderate. SYNOPSIS...As a low over the Beaufort Sea moves off to the east, high pressure will gradually build over the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas through Saturday. Low pressure will generally remain centered over the eastern Aleutian Islands and Alaska Peninsula through Saturday. -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 15 to 75 nm- PKZ860-Cape Halkett to Flaxman Island from 15 to 80 nm- PKZ861-Flaxman Island to Demarcation Point from 15 to 75 nm- Ice covered. FORECAST FOR THE BEAUFORT SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast confidence is high. Generally northerly winds will persist through Saturday. Overall, the ice pack will continue to thicken and generally move southwest through the forecast period. -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- Ice covered. FORECAST FOR THE CHUKCHI SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast confidence is high. Northerly to northeasterly winds will persist across most of the Chukchi Sea through Saturday. Overall, the ice pack will continue to thicken while drifting south to southwest. Polynyas may form off south-facing coastlines through Saturday. -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- PKZ816-South side of Saint Lawrence Island out to 15 nm- PKZ817-North side of Saint Lawrence Island out to 15 nm- PKZ850-Etolin Strait to Kwemeluk Pass from 15 to 90 nm- PKZ851-Southwest of Saint Lawrence Island from 15 to 100 nm- PKZ852-Norton Sound greater than 15 nm- PKZ853-Kwemeluk Pass to Kwikpak Pass from 15 to 90 nm- PKZ854-Sledge Island to Wales greater than 15 nm- Ice covered. 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 Peirce out to 15 nm- PKZ764-Kuskokwim Delta from 15 to 80 nm- PKZ767-Saint Matthew Island Waters- In the Bering Sea, the main ice edge extends from near Egegik to 58 46’N 163 3’W to 61 48’N 172 46’W to 61 38’N 173 58’W to 62 13’N 176 38’W and continues west into Russian waters. The ice edge is open water. From land-based points in Alaska, the main ice edge extends from near Egegik to 90 nm west of Cape Newenham to 120 nm south of Gambell to 145 nm south-southwest of Gambell to 160 nm southwest of Gambell and continues west into Russian waters. The ice edge is open water. FORECAST FOR THE BERING SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast confidence is high. Northerly to northeasterly winds will persist through Saturday across much of the Bering Sea. Sea ice will generally continue to thicken and drift southwest 30 to 40 nm through Saturday. To the south and east of Nunivak Island, expect easterly to southerly winds as this area is closer to the low centers that will affect the eastern Aleutian Islands and Alaska Peninsula. Some of the sea ice that has recently formed in northern Bristol Bay will melt as winds become southerly to southeasterly and warmer air moves north toward Nunivak Island. Polynyas may form along south-facing coastlines especially within Norton Sound. -COOK INLET- PKZ740-Cook Inlet North of Kalgin Island- SYNOPSIS...Low pressure will remain south of Cook Inlet through Saturday. In Cook Inlet, the main ice edge extends from 60 24’N 152 13’W to 60 7’N 152 1’W to near Nikiski. The ice edge is open water. From land-based points in Alaska, the main ice edge extends from 14 nm north of Tuxedni Bay to 10 nm west of Ninilchik to near Nikiski. The ice edge is open water. FORECAST FOR COOK INLET (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast confidence is high. Northeasterly winds will persist across the Cook Inlet region through Saturday. Temperatures will generally stay in the upper 20s to mid-30s through Saturday, so expect some gradual melting of the existing sea ice as it drifts south. && Schreck