690 

FZAK80 PAFC 082138

ICEAFC



Sea Ice Forecast for Western and Arctic Alaskan Coastal Waters 

National Weather Service - Alaska Sea Ice Program 

138 PM AKDT Wednesday 8 July 2026





FORECAST VALID…Monday 13 July 2026





ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE…High.





SYNOPSIS… Low pressure over the mainland interior and high pressure 

in the eastern Bering Sea. Areas of weak low pressure move into the 

eastern Bering and high Arctic on Friday then progress eastward 

to the Mainland and 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.





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

confidence is high. Light and variable winds persist through the 

period. Shorefast ice will continue to degrade with little change to 

the existing pack ice. 







-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 69 33'N 163 

9'W to 69 21'N 166 37'W to 68 43'N 168 14'W to 68 38'N 169 41'W to 

69 22'N 171 50'W to 67 44'N 172 36'W to 67 1'N 170 25'W to 66 19'N 

170 21'W. The ice edge is open water.	



                                                                

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

Sea extends from 10 nm south of Point Lay to 75 nm west-southwest of 

Point Lay to 125 nm southwest of Point Lay to 150 nm southwest of 

Point Lay to 180 nm west of Point Lay to 130 nm west-southwest of 

Point Hope to 110 nm southwest of Point Hope to 45 nm west of 

Diomede. The ice edge is open water.





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

confidence is high. Southerly winds will retreat the ice edge 15 to 

30 nm through Saturday, then northerly winds will expand the 

marginal ice zone to the south. The remaining ice in the Chukchi Sea 

is all old and first year thick ice which means that seasonal melt 

rate will drastically slow down. Kotzebue Sound will be ice free by 

Monday.





-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 ofSaint 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