486
FZAK80 PAFC 202357
ICEAFC
SEA ICE FORECAST FOR WESTERN AND ARCTIC ALASKAN COASTAL WATERS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE - ALASKA SEA ICE PROGRAM
300 PM AKST FRIDAY 20 FEBRUARY 2026
FORECAST VALID…WEDNESDAY 25 FEBRUARY 2026
ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE…MODERATE TO HIGH.
SYNOPSIS…A LOW OVER THE GULF OF ANADYR ENTERS THE CHUKCHI SEA ON
SATURDAY AND CONTINUES INTO THE BEAUFORT SEA SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY.
HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS ACROSS THE ARCTIC AND NORTHERN BERING SEA
BEHIND THE LOW.
-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. SOUTHERLY WINDS SHIFT TO SOUTHWESTERLY BY
SATURDAY AFTERNOON AS A LOW MOVES EASTWARD FROM THE CHUKCHI SEA. BY
SUNDAY AFTERNOON WINDS SHIFT TO WESTERLY, INCREASING OVERNIGHT
BEFORE SUBSIDING MONDAY MORNING. WELL ESTABLISHED SHOREFAST ICE WILL
BE TESTED FOR THE FIRST TIME AFTER SEVERAL DAYS OF COMPACTION BUT 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 HIGH. SOUTHEASTERLY WINDS STRENGTHEN OVERNIGHT AS
ANOTHER LOW FROM EASTERN RUSSIA LIFTS SOUTH OF WRANGEL ISLAND ON
SATURDAY AND EXITS INTO THE BEAUFORT SEA BY SUNDAY AFTERNOON. FAST
ICE ON NORTH AND WEST FACING SHORES MAY BECOME DETACHED BY STRONG
SOUTHEASTERLY AND SOUTHERLY WINDS PEAKING SATURDAY AFTERNOON.
NORTHWEST FLOW THEN RESUMES MONDAY THROUGH 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-
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 47'N 158
44'W TO 58 26'N 162 09'W TO 57 57'N 163 44'W TO 58 45'N 169 29'W TO
62 16'N 177 19'W
FROM LAND-BASED POINTS IN ALASKA, THE MAIN ICE EDGE IN THE BERING
SEA EXTENDS FROM 15 NM NORTH OF PORT HEIDEN TO 35 NM NORTH OF PORT
HEIDEN TO 60 NM NORTH OF PORT HEIDEN TO 10 NM SOUTH OF CAPE NEWENHAM
TO 65 NM SOUTHWEST OF CAPE NEWENHAM TO 95 NM NORTH OF SAINT PAUL TO
175 NM SOUTHWEST OF GAMBELL AND CONTINUES WEST INTO RUSSIAN WATERS.
THE ICE EDGE IS MARGINAL STRIPS OF ICE.
FORECAST FOR THE BERING SEA (DAYS 1 THROUGH 5)...FORECAST CONFIDENCE
IS HIGH. SOUTHERLY FLOW PERSISTS THROUGH MONDAY WHEN A LOW LIFTS
INTO THE WESTERN BERING AND DISSIPATES. WEAK NORTHERLY FLOW SWEEPS
SOUTH ACROSS THE BERING SEA THROUGH WEDNESDAY. THE ICE EDGE WILL
CONTINUE TO RETREAT THROUGH MONDAY.
-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 NEAR ANCHOR POINT TO
CHINITNA BAY.
FORECAST FOR COOK INLET (DAYS 1 THROUGH 5)...FORECAST CONFIDENCE IS
HIGH. NORTHERLY WINDS PERSIST THROUGH SATURDAY AFTERNOON THEN SHIFT
TO NORTHWESTERLY FOR THE SOUTHERN INLET, STRENGTHENING THROUGH
WEDNESDAY EVENING. THE ICE EDGE MAY STEADILY MOVE SOUTHWARD AROUND 5
NM/DAY, HOWEVER WARMER SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURES IN SOUTHERN COOK
INLET WILL MELT ANY ICE SOUTH OF NINILCHIK.
PLEASE NOTE THAT ICE MOTION IN COOK INLET IS HIGHLY INFLUENCED
BY TIDES.
RIEDEL
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