631
FZAK80 PAFC 170023
ICEAFC
SEA ICE FORECAST FOR WESTERN AND ARCTIC ALASKAN COASTAL WATERS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE - ALASKA SEA ICE PROGRAM
300 PM AKST MONDAY 16 FEBRUARY 2026
FORECAST VALID…SATURDAY 21 FEBRUARY 2026
ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE…MODERATE TO HIGH.
SYNOPSIS…HIGH PRESSURE PERSISTS OVER THE ARCTIC MAINLAND UNTIL A LOW
IN THE WESTERN BERING SEA LIFTS INTO THE GULF OF ANADYR ON MONDAY,
FOLLOWED BY A SECOND LOW WHICH CROSSES THE EASTERN TIP OF RUSSIA
AND LINGERS IN THE CHUKCHI SEA FROM WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. HIGH
PRESSURE BUILDS ACROSS THE BERING SEA BEHIND THE LOWS.
-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. SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS WILL SHIFT TO EASTERLY
TUESDAY MORNING AS A LOW OVER EASTERN RUSSIA LIFTS INTO THE CHUKCHI
SEA. WINDS BRIEFLY SHIFT TO SOUTHWESTERLY ON THURSDAY AS A SECOND
LOW MOVES INTO THE EASTERN CHUKCHI SEA, THEN SHIFT AGAIN TO
NORTHEASTERLY BY THURSDAY AFTERNOON AS THE LOW MOVES INTO THE
ALASKAN INTERIOR. 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 HIGH. SOUTHEASTERLY WINDS INCREASE THROUGH MONDAY
NIGHT, TESTING SHOREFAST ICE ALONG SOUTHERN AND WESTERN FACING
SHORES, PARTICULARLY BETWEEN POINT HOPE AND KOTZEBUE. WINDS WILL
REMAIN SOUTHEASTERLY UNTIL WEDNESDAY MORNING WHEN A LOW OVER EASTERN
RUSSIA SHIFTS WINDS TO SOUTHWESTERLY. ON THURSDAY WINDS BECOME
NORTHWESTERLY AS THE LOW MOVES INLAND NEAR WAINWRIGHT. SOUTHEASTERLY
WINDS RETURN LATE ON FRIDAY AS ANOTHER LIFTS NORTH FROM EASTERN
RUSSIA.
-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 54 43'N 159
24'W TO 57 30'N 158 52'W TO 58 09'N 163 03'W TO 58 37'N 169 58'W TO
59 57'N 170 01’'W TO 61 36’N 177 42’W
FROM LAND-BASED POINTS IN ALASKA, THE MAIN ICE EDGE IN THE BERING
SEA EXTENDS FROM 28 NM SOUTHWEST OF PORT HEIDEN TO 35 NM NORTH OF
PORT HEIDEN TO 40 NM SOUTHWEST OF CAPE NEWENHAM TO 90 NM NORTH OF
SAINT PAUL TO 40 NM SOUTHWEST OF SAINT MATTHEW ISLAND TO 200 NM
SOUTHWEST OF GAMBELL AND CONTINUES NORTHWEST INTO RUSSIAN WATERS.
THE ICE EDGE IS MARGINAL STRIPS OF ICE.
FORECAST FOR THE BERING SEA (DAYS 1 THROUGH 5)...FORECAST CONFIDENCE
IS MODERATE. SOUTHEASTERLY WINDS BECOME INCREASINGLY WESTERLY AS A
LOW LIFTS INTO THE GULF OF ANADYR LATE MONDAY. WINDS SHIFT TO
SOUTHERLY ON FRIDAY AS A SECOND SYSTEM IN THE WESTERN BERING
CONTINUES NORTH INTO EASTERN RUSSIA. DUE TO WARM SOUTHERLY WINDS,
THE ICE EDGE IS EXPECTED TO RETREAT DURING THIS PERIOD.
-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 WEDNESDAY MORNING WHEN A
FRONT SHIFTS WINDS TO SOUTHERLY. BY WEDNESDAY EVENING WESTERLY
WINDS STRENGTHEN ACROSS THE SOUTHERN INLET AND PERSIST THROUGH
FRIDAY. NORTHERLY WINDS ACROSS THE NORTHERN INLET INCREASE FROM
THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. 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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