FZAK80 PAFC 162208 ICEAFC Sea Ice Forecast for Western and Arctic Alaskan Coastal Waters National Weather Service - Alaska Sea Ice Program 208 PM AKDT Monday 16 June 2025 FORECAST VALID...Saturday 21 June 2025 ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE...Moderate to high SYNOPSIS...High pressure will persist across the Bering Sea, Chukchi Sea, and Beaufort Sea through at least Wednesday. A low from the North Pacific will track into the Bering Sea on Wednesday and then linger through Saturday. Low pressure will spread east into the Chukchi Sea by 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 shift easterly from Tuesday through Thursday. On Friday and Saturday, winds become light and variable. Sea ice will drift to the west through Thursday, and then movement will diminish over the weekend as winds lighten. Some shorefast ice will likely break off 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. The main ice edge extends from near Wales to 67 1’N 165 53’W to 69 1’N 169 21’W to 66 38’N 170 12’W. The ice edge is open water. From land-based points in Alaska, the main ice edge extends from near Wales to 45 nm north of Shishmaref to 177 nm northwest of Shishmaref to 100 nm west of Shishmaref. The ice edge is open water. FORECAST FOR THE CHUKCHI SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast confidence is high. Northerly winds will persist into Tuesday, and then winds shift southerly later Tuesday through Saturday. There will likely be periods of light and variable winds on Thursday. When winds shift southerly, southerly ocean currents near the Bering Strait and easterly currents near Point Hope will help to enhance the northerly/northwesterly movement of sea ice. Any remaining shorefast ice along the Alaska coast will continue to break up. Overall, areas of open water will continue to expand. -BERING SEA- PKZ806-Sledge Island to Wales out to 15 nm- PKZ817-North side of Saint Lawrence Island out to 15 nm- PKZ854-Sledge Island to Wales greater than 15 nm- The main ice edge in the Bering Sea extends from near Savoonga to 66 27’N 168 18’W to 64 57’N 167 24’W to the northeast corner of Saint Lawrence Island. The ice edge is open water. From land-based points in Alaska, the main ice edge in the Bering Sea extends from near Savoonga to 43 nm north of Diomede to near Ukivok to the northeast corner of Saint Lawrence Island. The ice edge is open water. FORECAST FOR THE BERING SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast confidence is high. Over the remaining ice pack, winds become southerly later Tuesday through Wednesday. Winds shift northerly on Thursday and Friday and then southeasterly on Saturday. Overall, sea ice will continue to melt throughout the forecast period, and the remaining ice will continue to drift north through the Bering Strait during periods of southerly winds. && Fenrich