906  
FZAK80 PAFC 202304  
ICEAFC  
 
EA ICE FORECAST FOR WESTERN AND ARCTIC ALASKAN COASTAL WATERS  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE - ALASKA SEA ICE PROGRAM  
300 PM AKDT WEDNESDAY 20 MAY 2026  
 
FORECAST VALID…MONDAY 18 MAY 2026  
 
ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE…MODERATE TO HIGH.  
 
SYNOPSIS…LOW PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE TO TRANSIT THE BERING AND MOVE  
INLAND THROUGH FRIDAY. MULTIPLE LOWS WILL THEM MOVE SOUTH OF THE  
CHAIN THROUGH MONDAY. HIGH PRESSURE WILL REMAIN OVER THE HIGH ARCTIC  
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 45 TO 80 NM-  
PKZ860-CAPE HALKETT TO FLAXMAN ISLAND FROM 45 TO 80 NM-  
 
ICE COVERED.  
 
FORECAST FOR THE BEAUFORT SEA (DAYS 1 THROUGH 5)...HIGH PRESSURE  
OVER THE HIGH ARCTIC WILL KEEP EASTERLY FLOW OVER THE BEAUFORT  
THROUGH SATURDAY. WITH A SLIGHT NORTHERLY COMPONENT TO THE WIND,  
LITTLE ICE MOVEMENT IS EXPECTED.  
 
-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 MODERATE TO HIGH. GENERALLY NORTH WINDS WILL CONTINUE.  
ICE WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE SOUTH AND THE AREA OF MARGINAL ICE WILL  
EXPAND AS ICE THE THE STRAIT PUSHES TO THE SOUTH. EXPECT FURTHER ICE  
MOVEMENT AWAY FROM THE NORTHWEST COAST WITH EASTERLY WINDS.  
 
-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-  
PKZ850-ETOLIN STRAIT TO KWEMELUK PASS FROM 15 TO 90 NM-  
PKZ852-NORTON SOUND GREATER THAN 15 NM-  
PKZ853-KWEMELUK PASS TO KWIKPAK PASS FROM 15 TO 90 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 PIERCE OUT TO 15 NM-  
PKZ764-KUSKOKWIM DELTA FROM 15 TO 80 NM-  
PKZ767-SAINT MATTHEW ISLAND WATERS-  
PKZ816-SOUTH SIDE OF SAINT LAWRENCE ISLAND OUT TO 15 NM-  
PKZ817-NORTH SIDE OF SAINT LAWRENCE ISLAND OUT TO 15 NM-  
PKZ851-SOUTHWEST OF SAINT LAWRENCE ISLAND FROM 15 TO 100 NM-  
PKZ854-SLEDGE ISLAND TO WALES GREATER THAN 15 NM-  
 
THERE IS ICE IN BRISTOL BAY FROM CAPE CONSTANTINE TO CAPE PEIRCE  
ALONG WITH ICE ALONG THE COAST FROM KUSKOKWIM BAY TO SCAMMON BAY.  
THE MAIN ICE EDGE IS PRESENT FROM SCAMMON BAY TO 20 NM W OF KWIKPAK  
TO 90 NM W OF KWIKPAK TO 45 NM W OF SCAMMON BAY TO 100 NM NW OF CAPE  
MOHICAN TO ST. MATTHEW ISLAND TO 125 NM S OF GAMBELL TO 270 NM SW OF  
GAMBELL AND INTO RUSSIAN WATERS. MOST OF THE GULF OF ANADYR IS NOW  
ICE FREE TO THE W OF GAMBELL.  
 
FROM LAND-BASED POINTS IN ALASKA, THERE IS ICE IN BRISTOL BAY FROM  
CAPE CONSTANTINE TO CAPE PEIRCE ALONG WITH ICE ALONG THE COAST FROM  
KUSKOKWIM BAY TO SCAMMON BAY. THE MAIN ICE EDGE IS PRESENT FROM 61  
96'N 165 98'W TO 63 62'N 165 67'W TO 63 55'N 167 73'W TO 62 20'N 167  
10'W TO ST. MATTHEW ISLAND TO 61 76'N 172 95'W TO 60 64'N 176 96'W  
TO 60 95'N 179 28'W TO 62 41'N 178 13'W. THE ICE EDGE CONSISTS OF  
BELTS AND STRIPS.  
 
FORECAST FOR THE BERING SEA (DAYS 1 THROUGH 5)...THE CURRENT STORM  
AND NORTHERLY WINDS OVER THE WEEKEND WILL CONTINUE TO MELT THE  
EXISTING ICE PACK AND SHIFT THE MAIN PACK SOUTH. ICE WILL CONTINUE  
TO MELT WITH BOTH THE ICE FREE AND MARGINAL ICE ZONES EXPANDING  
GREATLY. SHOREFAST ICE IS DEGRADING THROUGHOUT THE BERING.  
 
-COOK INLET-  
 
PKZ730-WEST OF BARREN ISLANDS INCLUDING KAMISHAK BAY-  
PKZ740-COOK INLET NORTH OF KALGIN ISLAND-  
PZK741-KACHEMAK BAY-  
PKZ742-COOK INLET KALGIN ISLAND TO POINT BEDE-  
 
ICE FREE.  
 
FORECAST FOR COOK INLET (DAYS 1 THROUGH 5)...FORECAST CONFIDENCE IS  
HIGH.  
 
 
JONES  
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