595
FZAK80 PAFC 152258
ICEAFC
SEA ICE FORECAST FOR WESTERN AND ARCTIC ALASKAN COASTAL WATERS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE - ALASKA SEA ICE PROGRAM
257 PM AKDT WEDNESDAY 15 APRIL 2026
FORECAST VALID…MONDAY 20 APRIL 2026
ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE…MODERATE TO HIGH.
SYNOPSIS…WEAK LOW PRESSURE OVER THE BERING SEA MOVES OVER THE
MAINLAND ON THURSDAY. A VERY STRONG LOW PRESSURE ENTERS THE WESTERN
BERING SEA LATE FRIDAY, MOVING TO THE EASTERN BERING SEA ON SUNDAY,
THEN THE MAINLAND 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 HIGH. NORTHEASTERLY WINDS PERSIST THROUGH MONDAY.
BREAK-OFF OF SHOREFAST ICE IS NOT 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 HIGH. NORTHEASTERLY WINDS PERSIST THROUGH MONDAY.
BREAK-OFF OF SHOREFAST ICE COULD HAPPEN FROM POINT HOPE THROUGH CAPE
KRUSENSTERN. A LARGE POLYNYA COULD FORM OFF OF THE SHOREFAST ICE.
-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 55 3'N 163
42'W TO 55 36'N 163 19'W TO 57 14'N 169 41'W TO 57 3'N 170 25'W TO
59 47'N 175 6'W TO 61 22'N 178 32'W AND CONTINUES NORTHWEST IN
RUSSIAN WATERS. THE ICE EDGE IS OPEN PACK ICE.
FROM LAND-BASED POINTS IN ALASKA, THE MAIN ICE EDGE IN THE BERING
SEA EXTENDS FROM 18 NM NORTHEAST OF FALSE PASS TO 45 NM NORTH OF
FALSE PASS TO 17 NM EAST OF SAINT PAUL ISLAND TO 7 NM SOUTH OF SAINT
PAUL ISLAND TO 77 NM SOUTHWEST OF SAINT MATTHEW ISLAND TO 236 NM
SOUTHWEST OF GAMBELL AND CONTINUES NORTHWEST IN RUSSIAN WATERS. THE
ICE EDGE IS OPEN PACK ICE.
FORECAST FOR THE BERING SEA (DAYS 1 THROUGH 5)...FORECAST CONFIDENCE
IS MODERATE TO HIGH.
FROM THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS AND EASTWARD...ON FRIDAY A STRONG LOW
PRESSURE AND FRONT ENTER THE WESTERN BERING SEA, EXPECT ICE TO
RETREAT TO THE NORTHWEST DURING THIS TIME PERIOD AROUND 15-25
NM/DAY. ICE WILL COMPACT AGAINST THE COASTLINE OF NORTHERN BRISTOL
BAY. THERE IS ALSO A LOW CHANCE FOR ICE SHOVES IN THIS AREA, WITH
THE TOGIAK AREA BEING THE MOST LIKELY CANDIDATE.
WEST OF THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS, AS STRONGER NORTHEASTERLY WINDS TAKE
HOLD THROUGH THE WEEKEND, ADVANCE WILL HASTEN TO THE WEST-SOUTHWEST
AROUND 10-25 NM/DAY THROUGH MONDAY. THE LARGEST ADVANCE WILL BE
TOWARD THE DATELINE.
-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-
THE MAIN ICE EDGE IN COOK INLET EXTENDS FROM CLAM GULCH TO KALGIN
ISLAND TO TUXEDNI BAY.
FORECAST FOR COOK INLET (DAYS 1 THROUGH 5)...FORECAST CONFIDENCE IS
HIGH. EXPECT ICE TO CONTINUE TO MELT IN THE UPPER INLET, THE LOWER
INLET COULD BE CLOSE TO BECOMING ICE FREE BY THE END OF THE WEEK.
TURNAGAIN ARM WILL BE CLOSE TO BEING ICE FREE BY MONDAY. VERY LITTLE
ICE WILL REMAIN IN THE UPPER INLET BY MONDAY, BUT SMALL AREAS OF
PACK ICE COULD REMAIN BUT AS A WHOLE THE UPPER INLET WILL BE OPEN
MARGINAL ICE.
PLEASE NOTE THAT ICE MOTION IN COOK INLET IS HIGHLY INFLUENCED BY
TIDES.
LAWSON
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