413 

FZAK80 PAFC 182231

ICEAFC



ea Ice Forecast for Western and Arctic Alaskan Coastal Waters 

National Weather Service - Alaska Sea Ice Program 

316 PM AKDT Friday 15 May 2026





FORECAST VALID…Wednesday 20 May 2026





ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE…Moderate.





SYNOPSIS…Multiple low pressure systems will move through the central 

Bering through Friday and into the Mainland over the weekend. High 

pressure will remain over the High Arctic through Saturday. 



-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)...High pressure

over the high arctic will keep easterly flow over the Beaufort 

through Saturday. With a slight northerly component to the wind, 

little ice movement is expected. 









-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 moderate to high. East to northeast winds will 

continue. Ice will continue to move around and the area of marginal 

ice will expand as ice the the Strait pushes to the south. Expect 

further ice movement away from the northwest coast with easterly 

winds.





-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 Clarks Point to 57 

71'N 158 81'W to Cape Newenham. The main ice edge follows within 10 

nm of the coast from Kuskokwim Bay, to Scammon Bay, including 

Nunivak Island. Ice then extends to 62 10'N 166 81'W to 60 02'N 171 

38'W to 60 91'N 174 13'W to 60 49'N 177 81'W and into Russian 

Waters. The ice edge consists of belts and strips. 

	                                                        

From land-based points in Alaska, the main ice edge in the Bering 

Sea extends from Clarks Point to 29 nm S of Clarks Point to Cape 

Newenham. Ice exists fromKuskokwim Bay to 15 nm S of Kipnuk, into 

Etolin Strait and surrounding the north side of Nunivak Island, to 

10 nm W of Scammon Bay, to St. Matthew Island, to 140 nm W of St. 

Matthew Island to 250 nm SW of Gambell and into Russian Waters. The 

ice edge consists of belts and strips.





FORECAST FOR THE BERING SEA (DAYS 1 through 5)...Forecast confidence 

is moderate. Two storms to the south of the ice edge through Friday 

will continue to push the ice west and into warmer waters. The 

second storm will move inland into Alaska Mainland over the weekend. 

The net effect will be continued melt of the marginal ice zone and 

compaction of the pack ice as winds shift from east to west over the 

week. 









-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. 









&& 

Jones