Assessment of Current Ice Conditions Relevant to Distribution and Access of Walrus
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Synopsis: A low-pressure system will make its way up the Bering Sea, bringing some potential snow/rain mixed precipitation early Saturday morning for the Seward Peninsula, St. Lawrence Island, and Bering Strait. This low will cause winds to be fairly strong, sustained, and gusty, especially on St. Lawrence Island and in the Bering Strait. Scattered, messy precipitation-type showers will remain in the area through the beginning of the week due to a weak low in the Bering Sea. The low pressure will move into the Gulf of Alaska Tuesday evening. After this happens, there should be limited precipitation for the rest of the week.
Near St. Lawrence Island
Shorefast ice extents 1 mile (1.5 km) offshore of Gambell and Savoonga, and up to 4 miles (7.5 km) offshore between the two. Between Ataakas Camp and Camp Kulowiyi, shorefast ice extends up to 6 miles (12 km) offshore. Ice beyond the shorefast is very close to consolidated pack ice mostly comprised of first year ice with very low concentrations (1/10th or less) of first year medium ice. Floes range from small to big, with some isolated vast floes. These ice conditions extend off the east side of the island as well. From north of Gambell along the west side of the island is very open to open pack ice comprised of small floes (or smaller) to the south, with medium to vast floes to the north. There is one giant flow west of Gambell. Along the south side of the island, shorefast ice extends from Siknik Training Camp through Pugughileq (Powooiliak) Camp, generally 1-2 miles (2-4 km) offshore. Beyond the shorefast ice is a polynya of open water extending from 25 miles to 60 miles (40-90 km) offshore. There are brash ice floes up to small floes in the open water.
Nome
Shorefast ice along the Nome coastline extends up to 1.5 mi (2.4 km) from the shoreline. A polynya extends up to 10 mi (16 km) beyond the shorefast ice. The remainder of the ice pack in the Nome region is close to very close pack ice consisting of medium to vast floes with isolated giant floes.
Brevig Mission/Port Clarence Area
This area has not begun yet for the 2025 season.
Wales to Shishmaref
Shorefast ice extends .5 miles (1 km) from Wales to 20 miles (35 km) offshore Ikpek. Shorefast offshore Shishmaref is 16 miles (25 km). Beyond the shorefast ice is very close to consolidated pack ice consisting of medium to vast floes. West of Ikpek southward to Wales, the pack is very open to open also with medium to vast floes.
Diomede
Shorefast ice extends between the islands. To the north of the islands is close to very close pack ice comprised of small to vast floes. Open water exists 7 miles (12 km) east of Diomede. To the south of Diomede is very open to open pack ice with small to medium floes.
Forecast Discussion
Ice Forecast
Light northerly winds will keep the ice drifting southward on the order of 5–10 nm/day through Sunday. A short period of westerly winds will move ice east/southeast next week. New ice has been struggling to grow in polynyas or is melting during the day. These conditions will continue through next week.
For St. Lawrence Island, northerly winds will keep ice compacted against the northern shorefast ice, flowing around the east side of the island, while lower concentration ice streams by Gambell. The polynya south of the island will remain open. During the westerly winds next week, open water or very open pack ice will push eastward past Gambell.
For Wales to Shishmaref expect current conditions to hold until the middle of next week when currents may open up the pack ice a bit west of Shishmaref.
Wind Synopsis
Near St. Lawrence Island, north-northeast winds of 23 to 29 mph (20 to 25 kt) will last through the day Friday (April 25) before weakening to 12 to 17 mph (10 to 15 kt) through the weekend and early the following week. By Tuesday afternoon, winds will likely strengthen again into the 21 to 28 mph (18 to 24 kt) range from the north, before weakening gradually to about 17 to 23 mph (15 to 20 kt) while turning to the northwest through Friday (May 2).
Near Wales and Diomede, north-northeast winds of 17 to 23 mph (15 to 20 kt) will last through the day Friday (April 25) before weakening to 6 to 12 mph (5 to 10 kt) from the northeast, which will last through Monday morning. Thereafter, winds become northerly again and increase to 17 to 23 mph (15 to 20 kt) on Tuesday morning and strengthen further up to (25 to 30 kt) Tuesday afternoon. Winds may remain in the 23 to 35 mph (20 to 30 kt) range through Thursday night before slightly weakening and becoming northwesterly at 17 to 23 mph (15 to 20 kt) Friday, 2 May.
Near Shishmaref, winds will begin Friday morning (25 April) out of the northeast at roughly 13 to 17 mph (12 to 15 kts). It is expected to diminish slightly Saturday morning to roughly 10 to 14 mph (9 to 12 kts) with the wind shifting to southeasterly/easterly. It picks up to 13 to 17 mph (12 to 15 kts) again beginning Sunday morning. There will be a wind shift Monday afternoon to northeasterly. Winds will diminish again early Tuesday morning to roughly 10 to 14 mph (9 to 12 kts) and become more northerly. Winds will strengthen again Wednesday evening to roughly 13 to 17 mph (12 to 15 kts). Winds will likely strengthen further to 22 to 24 mph (19 to 21 kts) on Friday morning (2 May) through the beginning of the weekend.
Near Nome, winds will begin north-northeasterly at about 22 to 24 mph (19 to 21 kts) on Friday morning (25 April). Winds will diminish Saturday morning to roughly 10 to 14 mph (9 to 12 kts) and further by Saturday afternoon to roughly 5 to 7 mph (6 to 8 kts). Winds will pick up to roughly 10 to 14 mph (9 to 12 kts) again beginning overnight on Saturday and strengthen further to 13 to 17 mph (11 to 15 kts) by Sunday afternoon. Winds will strengthen again to roughly 22 to 24 mph (19 to 21 kts) on Monday afternoon and shift to more northerly. Winds will begin diminishing Wednesday morning to roughly 13 to 17 mph (11 to 15 kts) and then pick back up again by Wednesday overnight to 22 to 24 mph (19 to 21 kts). By overnight on Thursday evening, winds will strengthen again to roughly 28 to 32 mph (24 to 28 kts). On Friday morning (2 May), winds could peak at 33 to 37 mph (29 to 32 kts) before diminishing to 28 to 32 mph (24 to 28 kts) throughout the day.
Temperature Trend
Near St. Lawrence Island, high temperatures Friday (25 April) through Tuesday will be in the upper 20s and low 30s, with lows falling into the low-to-mid 20s. Thereafter, highs fall into the low 20s and lows into the upper teens.
Near Wales and Diomede, highs will rise into the upper 20s and lower 30s from Friday (25 April) through Tuesday, then fall into the lower 20s from Wednesday through Friday (2 May). Lows will rise from the lower teens on Friday morning into the upper teens and lower 20s on Saturday, the lower to mid 20s Sunday and Monday. Tuesday through Friday (2 May), lows fall back into the lower to mid-teens.
Near Shishmaref, the high temperature on Friday (25 April) will be in the upper 20s and the low temperature will be in the mid-teens. Beginning on Saturday, high temperatures will be in the low to mid 30s and the low temperature will be in the 20s. Temperatures will generally be trending down throughout the week.
Near Nome, the high temperatures will be in the mid to upper 30s while the low temperatures will be in the upper 20s to lower 30s.
Daily Weather, Wind, and Temperature Updates
The National Weather Service provides twice-daily, text only updates on the weather, wind, and temperature conditions in specific geographical zones. An interactive weather map for access to other Alaskan zones can be found here: http://weather.gov/anchorage/ice
Higher resolution satellite images and wind maps (wind updated daily) can be viewed here: http://www.weather.gov/afg/SIWO_overview
The Alaska Ocean Observing System shares a variety of weather and sea ice related resources in their Bering Sea Portal at https://bering-sea.portal.aoos.org/.
NWS Sea Ice Forecast Maps
Marine forecast for the West Coast and Arctic Coast
Remote Sensing Images
Observations & Comments
Observations of Sea Ice Development
Observations from Gambell
Friday, 25 April 2025 – Clarence Irrigoo, Jr.
Shore ice went out 2 days ago. On April 19 Gambell got a 40+ ft whale. All week it is windy. Today 22° windy NNE 30 mph.
Sea ice and weather conditions in Gambell. Photos courtesy of Clarence Irrigoo, Jr.
Observations from Savoonga
Saturday, 26 April 2025 – Aqef Waghiyi
Temp 36°F, DP 46.3 humidity 88.0, wind north at 2.0knots, pressure 29.68. We see walrus but nobody get any yet.
Shared by the Alaska Ocean Observing System (AOOS) for 22–30 April 2025
The images below show animations of the movement of ice predicted by the HYbrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM). Snapshots from the forecast show ice coverage from 0% (black) to 100% (white) and arrows show the relative speed and direction of the ice. A light boundary is drawn at 15% predicted ice cover to highlight the ice edge, but ice may be predicted to extend beyond it. Some bays, lagoons, and areas very close to shore are not covered by the model. (Image produced by the Alaska Ocean Observing System / Axiom Data Science).
These animations show the predicted movement of ice predicted by the HYbrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM). Snapshots from the forecast show ice coverage from 0% (black) to 100% (white) and arrows show the relative speed and direction of the ice. A light boundary is drawn at 15% predicted ice cover to highlight the ice edge, but ice may be predicted to extend beyond it. Some bays, lagoons, and areas very close to shore are not covered by the model. (Image produced by the Alaska Ocean Observing System / Axiom Data Science)