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FZAK80 PAFC 172223

ICEAFC



Sea Ice Forecast for Western and Arctic Alaskan Coastal Waters 

National Weather Service - Alaska Sea Ice Program 

223 PM AKST Monday 17 March 2025



FORECAST VALID...Saturday 22 March 2025.



ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE...High to moderate.



SYNOPSIS...High pressure remains stationary over the Chukchi and 

Beaufort Seas through Wednesday. Low pressure along the Aleutian 

Islands spreads north to the Chukchi and Beaufort seas from Thursday 

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. Northeasterly winds will persist through Tuesday 

and then shift easterly from Wednesday through Saturday. Expect the 

ice pack to continue to thicken and generally move to the 

west/southwest at about 10 nm/day 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. Northeasterly winds (northerly winds closer to 

the Bering Strait) will persist through Wednesday. Winds then become 

northwesterly to westerly for the remainder of the forecast period. 

Expect sea ice to drift to the south/southwest through mid week and 

then to the south/southeast from Thursday through Saturday. Polynyas 

will continue to form off south and west-facing coastlines through 

Wednesday but will quickly fill in with new sea ice. Overall, winds 

become generally lighter and more variable on 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-



The main ice edge extends from near Cape Newenham to 58 41’N 164 

32’W to 58 4’N 167 5’W to 59 4’N 172 42’W to 60 5’N 176 41’W and 

continues west into Russian waters. The ice edge is low 

concentration strips of ice. 



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

near Cape Newenham to 80 nm south of Kipnuk to 95 nm south of Cape 

Mohican to 40 nm south of Saint Matthew Island to 120 nm southwest 

of Saint Matthew Island and continues west into Russian waters. The 

ice edge is low concentration strips of ice.  



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

is high. Generally northerly winds will persist through the forecast 

period. The main ice edge is expected to continue advancing 

southward through Saturday at about 10 nm/day. Sea ice along the 

edge will mostly be in the form of belts and strips coming off the 

main ice pack. In Bristol Bay, new sea ice growth is expected to 

continue, specifically between Cape Newenham and Egegik. 



-COOK INLET-



PKZ740-Cook Inlet North of Kalgin Island-



SYNOPSIS...A series of lows will transit the Gulf of Alaska from 

west to east through Saturday.



The main ice edge extends from near Beluga to near Point Possession. 

The ice edge is open water.  



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

high. Northeasterly winds will continue across the Cook Inlet. 

Temperatures nearing the upper 30s to low 40s are expected during 

the day, and then upper 20s to mid 30s at night. Thus, any new sea 

ice is expected to melt, and remaining small ice floes will continue 

to gradually melt while drifting with tides and currents.



&& 

Fenrich