####018005128####
FZAK80 PAFC 282137

ICEAFC



Sea Ice Forecast for Western and Arctic Alaskan Coastal Waters 

National Weather Service - Alaska Sea Ice Program 

137 PM AKDT Friday 28 March 2025



FORECAST VALID...Wednesday 2 April 2025



ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE...Moderate to high.



SYNOPSIS...High pressure will remain over the Bering Sea through 

Wednesday while a series of lows will move northeast across the 

Chukchi and Beaufort Seas. 

  

-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. Easterly to southeasterly winds will persist 

through Sunday, then winds will shift to westerly as a a series of 

lows move through the region Monday through Wednesday. Expect the 

ice pack to continue to thicken and generally move to the west to 

southwest at about 10 to 15 nm/day through Sunday, then drift back 

to the east 10 to 15 nm/day Monday through Wednesday. 



-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. Southerly winds will gradually become westerly 

by Monday, then become southerly to easterly Tuesday and Wednesday. 

Expect sea ice to drift north then east 10 to 20 nm through Sunday, 

then drift north to west 20 to 30 nm Monday through Wednesday. 

Polynyas will continue to form off the northwest coast of Alaska 

during periods of southerly to easterly winds, and likely briefly 

close off during periods of westerly winds. New polynyas may form 

off the north side of the Seward Peninsula 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.



PKZ414-Bering Sea Offshore East of 171W-

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 Egegik to 58 5’N 161 39’W to 57 

36’N 167 23’W to 61 10’N 178 23’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 Egegik to 40 nm southeast of Cape Newenham to 140 nm south of 

Cape Mendenhall to 235 nm southwest of Gambell 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. High pressure will remain nearly stationary through Monday 

before moving off to the east toward Bristol Bay. Through Monday, 

winds will be southerly across the western Bering Sea and 

northwesterly across the eastern Bering Sea. As the high moves 

eastward, the southerly winds will spread east toward Kuskokwim Bay 

by Wednesday. Expect the ice edge from Saint Matthew Island west to 

retreat 40 to 50 nm through Wednesday while the ice edge east of 

Saint Matthew Island advances up to 20 nm southward before southerly 

winds begin to bring some retreat of 10 to 20 nm Monday through 

Wednesday.



&& 

Schreck