453
FZAK80 PAFC 192328
ICEAFC
SEA ICE FORECAST FOR WESTERN AND ARCTIC ALASKAN COASTAL WATERS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE - ALASKA SEA ICE PROGRAM
2:30 PM AKDT MONDAY 19 OCTOBER 2026
FORECAST VALID…SATURDAY 24 OCTOBER 2026
ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE…HIGH.
SYNOPSIS…. LIGHT AND VARIABLE TO WESTERLY WINDS PERSIST AS A WEAK
LOW LINGERS IN THE HIGH ARCTIC. A BERING LOW LIFTS INTO THE CHUKCHI
SEA ON FRIDAY. WHILE AIR TEMPERATURE IS SUFFICIENTLY COLD, NEW ICE
GROWTH IS SLOW DUE TO WARM SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURES.
-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.
THE MAIN ICE EDGE IN THE BEAUFORT SEA EXTENDS FROM NEAR 70 40’N 144
47’W TO 71 03’N 142 51’W TO 71 07’N 149 23’W TO 71 37’N 154 45’W
FROM LAND-BASED POINTS IN ALASKA, THE MAIN EDGE EXTENDS FROM NEAR
KAKTOVIK TO 38 NM NW OF KAKTOVIK TO 55 NM N OF KAKTOVIK TO 85 NM N
OF FLAXMAN ISLAND TO 35 NM N OF OLIKTOK POINT TO 35 NM N OF IKIAK
FORECAST FOR THE BEAUFORT SEA (DAYS 1 THROUGH 5)...FORECAST
CONFIDENCE IS HIGH.
WINDS WILL BE LIGHT AND SOUTHWESTERLY THROUGH FRIDAY, SHIFTING TO
SOUTHEASTERLY WHEN A STRONG LOW IN THE EASTERN BERING SEA. EXPECT
ICE TO BEGIN DRIFTING EASTWARD 5 TO 7 NM/DAY THROUGH SATURDAY
MORNING.
-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-
THE MAIN ICE EDGE IN THE CHUKCHI SEA EXTENDS FROM NEAR 71 32’N 156
30’W TO 71 21’N 157 05’W TO 71 04’N 158 52’W TO 71 29’N 162 52’W TO
72 42’N 162 44’W TO 71 29’N 171 43’W
FROM LAND-BASED POINTS IN ALASKA, THE MAIN EDGE IN THE CHUKCHI SEA
EXTENDS FROM 10 NM N OF UTQIAGVIK TO 10 NM W OF UTQIAGVIK TO 10 NM N
OF POINT FRANKLIN TO 70 NM N OF ICY CAPE TO 145 NM N OF ICY CAPE TO
185 NM NW OF CAPE LISBURNE, AND CONTINUES WEST TO WRANGEL ISLAND.
THE ICE EDGE IS OPEN BRASH ICE.
FORECAST FOR THE CHUKCHI SEA (DAYS 1 THROUGH 5)...FORECAST
CONFIDENCE IS HIGH.
PACK ICE IS STEADILY GROWING AROUND THE NORTH AND EASTERN SIDES OF
WRANGEL ISLAND. PACK ICE EXTENDS EAST AND SOUTH ACROSS HANNAH SHOAL
AND PATCHES OF ICE HAS BEGIN FORMING IN ALL OF THE BAYS ALONG THE
SHORELINE. ICE IS ALSO VISIBLE IN WATERS NORTH AND EAST OF KOTZEBUE.
MODERATE NORTHWESTERLY WINDS WILL PUSH EXISTING ICE INTO THE SHORE,
SHIFTING TO SOUTHERLY AS A FRONT LIFTS NORTH FROM THE BERING SEA ON
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-
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.
RIEDEL
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