912
FZAK80 PAFC 102317
ICEAFC
SEA ICE FORECAST FOR WESTERN AND ARCTIC ALASKAN COASTAL WATERS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE - ALASKA SEA ICE PROGRAM
316 PM AKDT WEDNESDAY 10 SEPTEMBER 2025
FORECAST VALID...MONDAY 15 SEPTEMBER 2025
ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE...HIGH
SYNOPSIS...A LARGE LOW OVER THE WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA WEAKENS AND
MOVES OVER THE CANADIAN ARCHIPELAGO THROUGH SATURDAY. HIGH PRESSURE
REMAINS OVER THE HIGH ARCTIC. A WEAKER LOW WILL FORM NEAR THE
NORTHWEST ALASKA COASTLINE FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY, REMAIN IN THE
CHUKCHI SEA THROUGH MONDAY.
-BEAUFORT SEA-
PKZ505-CENTRAL US ARCTIC OFFSHORE-
PKZ510-EASTERN US ARCTIC OFFSHORE-
PKZ814-CAPE HALKETT TO FLAXMAN ISLAND OUT TO 15 NM-
PKZ859-POINT FRANKLIN TO CAPE HALKETT FROM 15 TO 75 NM-
PKZ860-CAPE HALKETT TO FLAXMAN ISLAND FROM 15 TO 80 NM-
PKZ861-FLAXMAN ISLAND TO DEMARCATION POINT FROM 15 TO 75 NM-
THE MAIN ICE EDGE IN THE BEAUFORT SEA EXTENDS FROM 70 7’N 142 51’W
TO 70 16’N 140 53’W TO 70 5’N 138 57’W TO 70 26’N 137 12’W AND
CONTINUES EAST INTO CANADIAN WATERS. THE ICE EDGE ALSO RUNS FROM 70
31’N 150 31’W TO 71 55’N 154 55’W. THE ICE EDGE IS OPEN WATER.
FROM LAND-BASED POINTS IN ALASKA, THE MAIN ICE EDGE IN THE BEAUFORT
SEA EXTENDS FROM 15 NM EAST OF KAKTOVIK TO 35 NM NORTH OF
DEMARCATION POINT TO 50 NM NORTHEAST OF DEMARCATION POINT TO 90 NM
NORTHEAST OF DEMARCATION POINT AND CONTINUES EAST INTO CANADIAN
WATERS. THE ICE EDGE ALSO RUNS FROM 12 NM WEST OF OLIKTOK POINT TO
50 NM NORTH OF IKIAK. THE ICE EDGE IS OPEN WATER.
FORECAST FOR THE BEAUFORT SEA (DAYS 1 THROUGH 5)...FORECAST
CONFIDENCE IS HIGH. NORTHEASTERLY WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO PERSIST
THROUGH MID-FRIDAY. THEN,SOUTHERLY WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP AS
THE AFOREMENTIONED LOW TRACKS TO THE NORTHWEST. ICE WILL CONTINUE TO
MELT AND THIN THROUGHOUT THE FORECAST PERIOD. SEA ICE WILL MOVE
SOUTHWESTWARD ABOUT 10 TO 20 NM/DAY THROUGH FRIDAY AND THEN
NORTHEASTWARD ABOUT 5 TO 10 NM/DAY THEREAFTER.
-CHUKCHI SEA-
PKZ500-WESTERN US ARCTIC OFFSHORE-
PKZ505-CENTRAL US ARCTIC OFFSHORE-
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 71 55’N 154 55’W
TO 71 26’N 157 21’W TO 71 10’N 158 52’W TO 73 11’N 164 8’W TO 74
29’N 167 22’W AND CONTINUES SOUTHWEST INTO RUSSIAN WATERS. THE ICE
EDGE IS OPEN WATER.
FROM LAND-BASED POINTS IN ALASKA, THE MAIN ICE EDGE IN THE CHUKCHI
SEA EXTENDS FROM 50 NM NORTH OF IKIAK TO 15 NM WEST OF POINT BARROW
TO 15 NM NORTH OF POINT FRANKLIN TO 160 NM NORTHWEST OF POINT
FRANKLIN TO 250 NM NORTHWEST OF POINT FRANKLIN AND CONTINUES
SOUTHWEST INTO RUSSIAN WATERS. THE ICE EDGE IS OPEN WATER.
FORECAST FOR THE CHUKCHI SEA (DAYS 1 THROUGH 5)...FORECAST
CONFIDENCE IS HIGH. NORTHEASTERLY WINDS CONTINUE AND SHIFT NORTHERLY
ON FRIDAY. OVER THE WEEKEND, A WEEK LOW PRESSURE OVER EXISTING ICE
WEST OF UTQIAGVIK WILL KEEP WINDS WESTERLY TO SOUTHERLY IN THE AREA.
ICE WILL CONTINUE TO MELT AND THIN THROUGHOUT THE FORECAST PERIOD.
SEA ICE WILL MOVE SOUTH TO SOUTHWESTWARD AT ABOUT 5 TO 15 NM/DAY
THROUGH FRIDAY AND THEN NORTHEASTWARD ON SATURDAY.
LAWSON
CLICK HERE TO GO TO PREVIOUS BULLETINS.
Main Text Page