####018006091####
FZAK80 PAFC 032327

ICEAFC



Sea Ice Forecast for Western and Arctic Alaskan Coastal Waters 

National Weather Service - Alaska Sea Ice Program 

227 PM AKST Monday 3 March 2025



FORECAST VALID...Saturday 8 March 2025



ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE...High.



SYNOPSIS...High pressure will over the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas 

will give way to a weak low will moving northwest across the Chukchi 

Sea through Thursday. High pressure will return late in the week 

through the weekend. A front and low pressure system will move over 

the Kuskokwim Delta and Bristol Bay on Wednesday, then dissapate. A 

front associated with a western Bering Sea system moves over the 

Bering Sea on 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 shift more easterly on 

Tuesday. Expect shorefast ice to remain intact and the pack  to move 

east to west around 5 nm/day.  



-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. Winds south of Point Barrow will become 

southerly and then more variable Tuesday and Wednesday. Northerly 

winds return for the remainder of the week. 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. The 

thicker ice pack will drift back east toward the Alaska coastline 

Tuesday and Wednesday. 



South of Point Hope, northeasterly winds will become northwesterly 

to westerly Saturday through Monday. Any polynyas that recently 

formed off southwest-facing coastlines will fill back in with the 

thicker ice pack through Wednesday.



-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 Cape Newenham 

to 58 21’N 165 42’W to 60 54N 178 41W and continues west into 

Russian waters. The ice edge is open water. There is also sea ice in 

interior Bristol Bay.



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

near Cape Newenham to To 85 nm south-southeast of Cape Mendenhall to 

260 nm southwest of Gambell and continues west into Russian waters. 

The ice edge is open water. There is also sea ice in interior 

Bristol Bay.



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

is high. For Bristol Bay and the Kuskowkim Delta...A warmer air mass 

and southerly to southeasterly winds will continue to melt and 

retreat the ice edge through Thursday. Friday and Saturday, 

northerly winds and a colder air mass will return to grow new ice 

along the coast for Bristol Bay, and move the ice edge southward 5-

10 nm/day for the Kuskokwim Delta. 



From Nunivak Island westward...expect the ice edge to advance to the 

south 10-15 nm/day Tuesday through Friday with continued thickening 

of the pack. On late Saturday, a front will return southerly winds 

to the ice edge with a period of retreat. 





-COOK INLET-



PKZ740-Cook Inlet North of Kalgin Island-



SYNOPSIS...Several fronts will impact the area, with a stronger low 

pressure system in the northern Gulf later in the week.



The main ice edge extends from the West Foreland to 60 29’N 151 39’W 

to the East Foreland. 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 and 

low 40s during the day. Areas of new ice are possible at night but 

will melt during the day. Expect the ice to continue to gradually 

melt while drifting with tides and currents.



&& 

Lawson