338
FZAK80 PAFC 182243
ICEAFC
SEA ICE FORECAST FOR WESTERN AND ARCTIC ALASKAN COASTAL WATERS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE - ALASKA SEA ICE PROGRAM
145 PM AKST WEDNESDAY 18 FEBRUARY 2026
FORECAST VALID…MONDAY 23 FEBRUARY 2026
ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE…MODERATE TO HIGH.
SYNOPSIS…A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM CURRENTLY OVER THE CHUKCHI WILL MOVE
INLAND AND DISSIPATE THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING. A STRONG POLAR HIGH
OVER THE BEAUFORT WILL MOVE OVER NORTHWEST ALASKA AND THE BEAUFORT
WHILE A DEEP LOW MOVES INTO THE EAST SIBERIAN SEA. AN ADDITIONAL
BROAD LOW WILL EXIST OVER KAMCHATKA STARTING FRIDAY, EVENTUALLY
MOVING NORTHWEST INTO THE CHUKCHI AND BEAUFORT ON MONDAY.
-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 MODERATE TO HIGH. LEADS MAY DEVELOP ALONG THE ARCTIC
COAST OVER THE WEEKEND AS A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM MOVES NORTH OF THE
COASTLINE. ESTABLISHED SHOREFAST ICE IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN INTACT.
-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. WESTERLY WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO PACK
ICE INTO THE COAST THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING. SOME LEADS MAY DEVELOP AS
OFFSHORE WINDS DEVELOP OVER THE WEEKEND BUT THE ICE PACK IS VERY
WELL ESTABLISHED SO LITTLE MOVEMENT IS EXPECTED. ESTABLISHED
SHOREFAST ICE IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN INTACT.
-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-
THE MAIN ICE EDGE IN THE BERING SEA EXTENDS FROM NEAR PORT HEIDEN TO
57.79N 159.95W TO 58.60N 163.191W TO 57.85N 164.07W TO 58.57N
169.88W TO 59.93N 173.49W TO 61.28N 177.58W AND INTO RUSSIAN WATERS.
FROM LAND-BASED POINTS IN ALASKA, THE MAIN ICE EDGE IN THE BERING
SEA EXTENDS FROM NEAR PORT HEIDEN TO 48NM S OF CAPE CONSTANTINE, TO
15NM S OF CAPE NEWENHAM, TO 90NM SW OF CAPE NEWENHAM, TO 95NM S OF
NUNIVAK ISLAND TO 125NM SW OF NUNIVAK ISLAND TO 35 NM S OF ST.
MATTHEW ISLAND TO 110NM W OF ST MATTHEW ISLAND AND INTO RUSSIAN
WATERS.
FORECAST FOR THE BERING SEA (DAYS 1 THROUGH 5)...FORECAST CONFIDENCE
IS MODERATE TO HIGH. SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO COMPACT AND
MELT THE ICE EDGE FROM CAPE NEWENHAM WEST. RETREAT ON THE ORDER OF
20 TO 40 NM IS EXPECTED. FOR BRISTOL BAY, EXPECT ICE TO ADVANCE
SOUTH 5 TO 20 NM AS COLD NORTH WINDS DEVELOP.
-COOK INLET-
PKZ740-COOK INLET NORTH OF KALGIN ISLAND-
PZK741-KACHEMAK BAY-
PKZ742-COOK INLET KALGIN ISLAND TO POINT BEDE-
THE MAIN ICE EDGE IN COOK INLET EXTENDS FROM CLAM GULCH TO REDOUBT
PT.
FORECAST FOR COOK INLET (DAYS 1 THROUGH 5)...FORECAST CONFIDENCE IS
MODERATE TO HIGH. NORTH WINDS AND WELL BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES
WILL DEVELOP ON THURSDAY AND CONTINUE THROUGH MUCH OF THE FORECAST
PERIOD. EXPECT EXISTING DENSE PACK TO EXPAND AND THE ICE EDGE TO GET
NEAR ANCHOR POINT.
PLEASE NOTE THAT ICE MOTION IN COOK INLET IS HIGHLY INFLUENCED BY TIDES.
JONES
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