724
FZAK80 PAFC 282301
ICEAFC
SEA ICE FORECAST FOR WESTERN AND ARCTIC ALASKAN COASTAL WATERS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE - ALASKA SEA ICE PROGRAM
3:30 PM AKDT FRIDAY 28 AUGUST 2026
FORECAST VALID…WEDNESDAY 2 SEPTEMBER 2026
ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE…HIGH.
SYNOPSIS…. A SERIES OF LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS DROP FROM THE RUSSIAN
ARCTIC AND ACROSS THE CHUKCHI AND BEAUFORT SEAS. SOUTHERLY WINDS
WILL CONTRIBUTE TO CONTINUED MELTING.
-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.
THE MAIN ICE EDGE IN THE BEAUFORT SEA EXTENDS FROM NEAR 70 09’N 143
41’W TO 70 20’N 147 11’W TO 70 44’N 149 41’W TO 71 33’N 154 40’W.
FROM LAND-BASED POINTS IN ALASKA, THE MAIN EDGE IN THE BEAUFORT SEA
EXTENDS FROM 5 NM NORTH OF BARTER ISLAND TO 7 NM NORTH OF FLAXMAN
ISLAND TO 14 NM NORTH OF OLIKTOK POINT TO 30 NM NORTH OF IKIAK. THE
ICE EDGE IS BRASH OPEN PACK ICE.
FORECAST FOR THE BEAUFORT SEA (DAYS 1 THROUGH 5)...FORECAST
CONFIDENCE IS HIGH.
LOW PRESSURE LIFTS NORTHWARD FROM THE ARCTIC COAST NEAR THE ALCAN
BORDER. NORTHERLY WINDS MAY PUSH BRASH ICE INTO OPEN WATER. SUNDAY
AFTERNOON, A WEAK FRONT MOVES EASTWARD ACROSS THE ARCTIC COAST
BRINGING SOUTHEASTERLY WINDS. A SECOND LOW BECOMES ESTABLISHED NORTH
OF POINT BARROW MONDAY AFTERNOON, SHIFTING WINDS TO SOUTHWESTERLY
THROUGH WEDNESDAY.
-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-
THE MAIN ICE EDGE IN THE CHUKCHI SEA EXTENDS FROM NEAR 71 29’N 156
47’W TO 71 13’N 158 55’W TO 72 37’N 177 39’W TO 69 35’N 173 15’W TO
68 19’N 171 49’W TO 67 03’N 170 38’W
FROM LAND-BASED POINTS IN ALASKA, THE MAIN EDGE IN THE CHUKCHI SEA
EXTENDS FROM 7 NM NORTH OF UTQIAGVIK TO 18 NM NORTH OF POINT
FRANKLIN TO 320 NM NORTHWEST OF ICY CAPE TO 190 NM WEST OF POINT LAY
TO 120 NM WEST OF POINT HOPE TO 80 NM NORTHWEST OF DIOMEDE. THE ICE
EDGE IS BRASH OPEN PACK ICE.
FORECAST FOR THE CHUKCHI SEA (DAYS 1 THROUGH 5)...FORECAST
CONFIDENCE IS HIGH.
SOUTHERLY WINDS STRENGTHEN AS A FRONT REACHES THE WESTERN COAST OF
ALASKA ON SATURDAY. A LOW EMERGES FROM THE RUSSIAN FAR EAST AND
MOVES ACROSS KOTZEBUE SOUND BEFORE CONTINUING INLAND SUNDAY
AFTERNOON. THIS IS QUICKLY FOLLOWED BY A SECOND LOW THAT PASSES
NORTH OF WRANGEL ISLAND AND BECOMES NEARLY STATIONARY NORTH OF
UTQIAGVIK, SHIFTING WINDS TO NORTHWESTERLY FROM 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-
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-
ICE FREE.
FORECAST FOR THE BERING SEA (DAYS 1 THROUGH 5)...FORECAST CONFIDENCE
IS HIGH.
-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-
ICE FREE.
FORECAST FOR COOK INLET (DAYS 1 THROUGH 5)...FORECAST CONFIDENCE IS
HIGH.
ER
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