497
FZAK80 PAFC 092255
ICEAFC
SEA ICE FORECAST FOR WESTERN AND ARCTIC ALASKAN COASTAL WATERS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE - ALASKA SEA ICE PROGRAM
255 PM AKDT WEDNESDAY 9 SEPTEMBER 2026
FORECAST VALID…MONDAY 14 SEPTEMBER 2026
ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE…HIGH.
SYNOPSIS...A STRONG LOW MOVES FROM THE RUSSIAN ARCTIC AND PAUSES
NORTHEAST OF WRANGEL ISLAND ON FRIDAY. A SECOND LOW FORMS ALONG THE
FRONT IN THE SOUTHERN CHUKCHI AND CONTINUES NORTHEAST INTO THE
BEAUFORT SEA ON SATURDAY. SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS WILL CONTRIBUTE TO
CONTINUED MELTING. BOTH SYSTEMS MOVE OUT OF ALASKA WATERS OVER THE
CANADIAN ARCHIPELAGO
-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 ALASKA WATERS EXTENDS FROM NEAR 70 27'N 150 2'W
TO 70 58'N 152 45'W TO 71 25'N 147 20'W TO 71 38'N 153 20'W TO 72
54'N 158 43'W TO 71 26'N 163 50'W TO 74 42'N 167 32'W TO 67 29'N 175
5'W.
FROM LAND-BASED POINTS IN ALASKA, THE MAIN EDGE EXTENDS FROM 4 NM
SOUTHWEST OF OLIKTOK POINT TO 15 NM NORTHWEST OF CAPE HALKETT TO 72
NM NORTH OF OLIKTOK POINT TO 55 NM NORTH-NORTHWEST OF CAPE HALKETT
TO 90 NM NORTHWEST OF POINT BARROW TO 75 NM NORTH-NORTHWEST OF ICY
CAPE TO 195 NM NORTH-NORTHWEST OF ICY CAPE TO 190 NM WEST OF POINT
HOPE. THE ICE EDGE IS OPEN WATER.
FORECAST FOR THE BEAUFORT SEA (DAYS 1 THROUGH 5)...FORECAST
CONFIDENCE IS HIGH.
WINDS TO MODERATE SOUTHWESTERLY LATE THURSDAY. LOW END GALES FROM
THE SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST WILL BRIEFLY WARM AIR TEMPERATURES UP TO THE
LOW 50S AND PUSH ICE AWAY FROM THE ARCTIC COAST. WINDS SHIFT MORE
WESTERLY ON SATURDAY. EXPECT THE ICE EDGE IN THE CAPE HALKETT AREA
TO RETREAT TO THE EAST 10 TO 20 NM/DAY THROUGH MONDAY.
-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-
FORECAST FOR THE CHUKCHI SEA (DAYS 1 THROUGH 5)...FORECAST
CONFIDENCE IS HIGH.
THERE IS LINGERING PATCHES OF VERY OPEN BRASH ICE LINGERING OFF OF
THE NORTHWEST ALASKA COASTLINE. A MUCH WARMER AIR MASS AND
SOUTHEASTERLY TO SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS APPROACHING LOW END GALES ON
THURSDAY WILL LIKELY MELT THIS ICE THROUGH THE WEEKEND.
-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-
KZ804-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.
LAWSON
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