FZAK80 PAFC 072301

ICEAFC



Sea Ice Forecast for Western and Arctic Alaskan Coastal Waters 

National Weather Service - Alaska Sea Ice Program 

301 PM AKDT Monday 7 April 2025



FORECAST VALID...Saturday 12 April 2025.



ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE...High.



SYNOPSIS...A series of weak lows will move east across the Bering 

Sea through Saturday. A weak low will move west across the southern 

Beaufort Sea Thursday and Friday.

  

-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. Winds will generally be easterly through 

Saturday, though there will be some light winds from variable 

directions as the low moves west Thursday and Friday. Expect the ice 

pack to drift westward 5 to 10 nm/day through Saturday, though sea 

ice near the Alaska coastline will likely move very little overall 

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. North of Point Hope, winds will generally be 

easterly to northeasterly through Saturday. South of Point Hope, 

winds will be variable and at times westerly during the forecast 

period. The main sea ice movement is expected to be near the Alaska 

coastline, especially between Wainwright and Point Barrow where a 

polynya will persist through 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.



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 Cape Newenham to 57 2’N 167 40’W 

to 57 30’N 170 50’W to 61 42’N 176 47’W and continues into Russian 

waters. The ice edge is open water. 



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

near Cape Newenham to 85nm east of St. Paul to 30 nm northwest of 

St. Paul to 190 nm southwest of Gambell and continues into Russian 

waters. The ice edge is open water. 



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

is moderate. Across the Bering Sea, northerly to northwesterly winds 

will be the general rule through the forecast period, though there 

will be periods of variable winds as lows move eastward. During this 

time, expect the ice edge to advance around 10 to 15 nm/day when 

winds are northerly to northwesterly and drift with local tides and 

currents when the weak lows move through. Sea ice is not expected to 

reach St. Paul Island during the forecast period, though if stronger 

northerly winds return during the weekend and early next week there 

is a chance that some strips of ice may briefly reach the island 

before overall spring retreat begins.  



&& 

Schreck