####018005340####
FZAK80 PAFC 250005

ICEAFC



Sea Ice Forecast for Western and Arctic Alaskan Coastal Waters 

National Weather Service - Alaska Sea Ice Program 

305 PM AKST Monday 24 February 2025



FORECAST VALID...Saturday 1 March 2025



ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE...High



SYNOPSIS...High pressure sits over the high arctic, extending 

southward into the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas. Weak low pressure with 

multiple centers stretches across the Bering Sea through the Gulf of 

Alaska. Two stronger low pressure systems will move from the 

northeast Pacific Ocean into the Gulf of Alaska 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. Northeast winds will prevail through Saturday. 

Expect the ice pack to continue to thicken and generally move 

southwest through the forecast period. Pack ice will continue to 

consolidate against the shorefast ice through the 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. North to northeast winds will persist across 

most of the Chukchi Sea through Saturday. Expect the ice pack to 

continue to thicken while drifting to the south-southwest. Polynyas 

will continue to form off south and southwest-facing coastlines 

through Saturday but will quickly fill in with new 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-

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 

44’N 165 27’W to St. Matthew Island to 61 27’N 178 59’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 50 nm south of Nunivak Island to St. Matthew Island 

to 212 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. North to northeast winds will continue across much of the 

ice pack on the Bering Sea through Saturday. Ice will generally 

continue to thicken and drift southward 20 to 30 nm through 

Saturday. Sea ice along the edge will be in the form of belts and 

strips coming off of the main pack. 



To the south and east of Nunivak Island, expect much of the 

remaining sea ice in northern Bristol Bay to melt as warmer air 

remains over the area.



-COOK INLET-



PKZ740-Cook Inlet North of Kalgin Island-



SYNOPSIS...Several stronger low pressure systems will move into the 

Gulf of Alaska through Saturday. 



The main ice edge extends from Tuxedni Bay to near Kenai. The ice 

edge is open water. 



FORECAST FOR COOK INLET (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast confidence is 

high. Northeast winds will persist across the Cook Inlet with 

temperatures remaining in the upper 20s at night to upper 30s during 

the day. Areas of new ice are possible at night but will melt during 

the day. Expect the ice to continue to drift southward 5 to 10 

nm/day through Saturday.



&& 

Lawson