Ice Forecast
662 FZAK80 PAFC 142315 ICEAFC SEA ICE ADVISORY FOR WESTERN AND ARCTIC ALASKAN COASTAL WATERS NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE ALASKA 315 PM AKDT MONDAY 14 OCTOBER 2013 FORECAST VALID...SATURDAY 19 OCTOBER 2013 ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE...MODERATE TO HIGH. SYNOPSIS...LOW PRESSURE OVER THE NORTH COAST OF ALASKA WILL SLOWLY WEAKEN OVER THE BEAUFORT SEA TUESDAY... THEN SHIFT OVER BANKS ISLAND WEDNESDAY. ANOTHER LOW WILL MOVE OVER SAINT LAWRENCE ISLAND WEDNESDAY... SHIFTING OVER THE CHUKCHI SEA FRIDAY. -ARCTIC OCEAN- -BEAUFORT SEA- -CHUKCHI SEA- PKZ230-CAPE BEAUFORT TO POINT FRANKLIN- PKZ235-POINT FRANKLIN TO CAPE HALKETT- PKZ240-CAPE HALKETT TO FLAXMAN ISLAND- PKZ245-FLAXMAN ISLAND TO DEMARCATION POINT- THE ICE EDGE LIES FROM 60 NM SOUTH OF BANKS ISLAND TO 71.5N 130.6W TO 70.5N 138.8W TO 72.5N 158.0W TO 73.7N 164.4W TO 72.8N 167.0W TO 71.7N 177.1W AND CONTINUES TO THE WEST. THE ICE EDGE IS MAINLY 1 TO 3 TENTHS NEW ICE WITH HIGHER CONCENTRATIONS OF ICE 15 TO 25 NM FROM THE ICE EDGE. SEA ICE IS PRESENT ALONG THE ALASKAN COASTLINE FROM NEAR POINT LAY TO POINT BARROW AND OVER TO MACKENZIE BAY. MOST OF THIS SEA ICE IS NEW AND YOUNG ICE WITH CONCENTRATIONS UP TO 10 TENTHS. FORECAST THROUGH SATURDAY FOR THE BEAUFORT SEA...WESTERLY TO SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW WILL PERSIST NEAR THE ICE EDGE THROUGH EARLY WEDNESDAY... THEN EASTERLY FLOW WILL DEVELOP THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. THE MAIN ICE EDGE IS EXPECTED TO EXPAND TO THE SOUTH 15 TO 25 NM THROUGH SATURDAY WHILE ICE CONCENTRATIONS AND ICE THICKNESS CONTINUE TO INCREASE. FORECAST THROUGH SATURDAY FOR THE CHUKCHI SEA...NORTHEASTERLY FLOW IS EXPECTED TO PERSIST OVER MUCH OF THE CHUKCHI SEA ICE EDGE THROUGH SATURDAY... WHILE WINDS WILL BECOME SOUTHEASTERLY OVER THE EASTERN CHUKCHI SEA LATE FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY. EXPECT THE ICE EDGE TO EXPAND TO THE SOUTH 25 TO 35 NM THROUGH SATURDAY OVER THE ICE EDGE WEST OF 170W AND EXPAND TO THE SOUTH 15 TO 25 NM IN THE CHUKCHI SEA EAST OF 170W THROUGH SATURDAY. BLEGATT 2013 $$