564
FZAK80 PAFC 072300
ICEAFC
SEA ICE FORECAST FOR WESTERN AND ARCTIC ALASKAN COASTAL WATERS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE - ALASKA SEA ICE PROGRAM
300 PM AKDT WEDNESDAY 7 OCTOBER 2026
FORECAST VALID…MONDAY 12 OCTOBER 2026
ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE…HIGH.
SYNOPSIS…A SERIES OF LOWS BEGIN TRAVELING EASTWARD OVER THE CHUKCHI
AND BEAUFORT SEAS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST PERIOD. A STRONG
LOW SIMULTANEOUSLY ENTERS THE BERING SEA WEDNESDAY AND PERSISTS
THROUGH MONDAY.
THE MAIN ICE EDGE IN ALASKA WATERS EXTENDS FROM NEAR 71 25'N 156
27'W TO 70 3'N 142 7'W TO 70 43'N 142 13'W TO 71 52'N 156 16'W TO 72
28'N 158 34'W TO 71 38'N 161 48'W TO 71 52'N 164 38'W TO 72 44'N 163
58'W TO 72 53'N 168 52'W. THE ICE EDGE IS A MIX OF NEW AND MULTIYEAR
PACK ICE. NEW ICE IS PRESENT BEHIND BARRIER ISLANDS AND WITHIN
PROTECTED BAYS.
FROM LAND-BASED POINTS IN ALASKA, THE MAIN EDGE EXTENDS FROM NEAR
UTQIAGVIK TO 30 NM EAST OF KAKTOVIK TO 43 NM NORTH OF KAKTOVIK TO 25
NM NORTH OF UTQIAGVIK TO 75 NM NORTH-NORTHWEST OF UTQIAGVIK TO 96 NM
WEST OF UTQIAGVIK TO 150 NM WEST OF UTQIAGVIK TO 155 NM NORTHWEST OF
UTQIAGVIK TO 235 NM NORTHWEST OF UTQIAGVIK. THE ICE EDGE IS A MIX OF
NEW AND MULTIYEAR PACK ICE. NEW ICE IS PRESENT BEHIND BARRIER
ISLANDS AND WITHIN PROTECTED BAYS.
-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)...FORECAST
CONFIDENCE IS HIGH.
LIGHT SOUTHERLY FLOW CONTINUES THROUGH SATURDAY. EXPECT A NORTHWARD
RETREAT OF 5-10 NM/DAY THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. THIS ICE MAY
BEGIN TO DEGRADE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY AS WARM SOUTHERLY AIR FLOW
DEVELOPS. SOME REDEVELOPMENT IS POSSIBLE ALONG THE COAST SUNDAY AND
MONDAY UNDER LIGHT WINDS.
-CHUKCHI SEA-
PKZ813-POINT FRANKLIN TO CAPE HALKETT OUT TO 15 NM-
PKZ859-POINT FRANKLIN TO CAPE HALKETT FROM 15 TO 75 NM-
ICE COVERED.
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-
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-
ICE FREE.
FORECAST FOR THE CHUKCHI SEA (DAYS 1 THROUGH 5)...FORECAST
CONFIDENCE IS HIGH.
NEW ICE IS PRESENT BEHIND BARRIER ISLANDS WHILE NAVIGATIONAL WATERS
REMAIN ICE FREE. MODERATE SOUTHERLY FLOW AND ASSOCIATED WARM AIR
TRANSPORT PERSISTS THROUGH SATURDAY. SOUTHWARD ADVANCE OF THE ICE
EDGE WILL LIKELY STALL UNDER THIS PATTERN, KEEPING NAVIGATIONAL
WATERS ICE FREE.
-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-
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-
ICE FREE.
FORECAST FOR THE BERING SEA (DAYS 1 THROUGH 5)...FORECAST CONFIDENCE
IS HIGH.
-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.
LAWSON
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