Assessment of Current Ice Conditions Relevant to Distribution and Access of Walrus
Synopsis: The remains of a high-pressure system in the Bering Strait will continue to weaken and move towards Siberia on Friday (6/5) and Saturday (6/6) as low pressure builds in Interior Alaska. As the high weakens, showery, cooler, and windier conditions set up for the West Coast for the first half of next week (6/8–10). By mid-week, high pressure returns over the state moving from east to west, with calmer and drier conditions expected to prevail by next Friday (6/12).
Near St. Lawrence Island
Shorefast ice looks to be quickly degrading from satellite imagery, especially between Savoonga and Gambell. The majority of the remaining close pack is from Akoolokok Point and the far eastern end of the Island.
Nome
The area is ice free.
Brevig Mission/Port Clarence Area
Formerly shorefast ice outside of Port Clarence has broken up and is degrading quickly. Ice within Port Clarence is breaking up quickly.
Wales to Shishmaref
While the Bering Strait has remained open, with open to very open pack ice, shorefast ice has remained in place though it is probably degrading quickly. Very close to consolidated pack ice exists off of the shorefast ice to the west and north.
Diomede
The Bering Strait to Wales has really opened up in the last week. Very open to open pack ice remains with mostly small floes. Very close pack ice exists along the east and west coastlines.
Forecast Discussion
Ice Forecast
St. Lawrence Island:
Expect ice to continue to move with local tides and currents through the week, but with westerly winds developing they could encourage ice to continue to flow around the east side of the island.
North and west winds through the period will continue to push the main area of consolidated ice to the east, while also wrapping a portion of that ice onto the east end of the island. Remaining ice along the coast will continue to degrade.
Wales to Shishmaref:
Expect the Bering Strait to continue to open up and decrease in coverage. The shorefast ice will continue to rot in place but should not move much over the next week. The mainly west to northwest winds over the next week will compact some of the open ice in the strait up against the compacted ice currently off the coast.
Nome:
Expect ice free conditions in the next week.
Port Clarence:
Expect ice to continue to drift with local currents, the formerly shorefast ice will continue to decay into very open to open pack ice and become brashy or small to medium floes. The larger area of very close ice within the port will continue to degrade and break apart.
Diomede:
Expect the area between Diomede and Wales to continue to decay into very open pack ice. Close to very close pack ice is expected to remain in the western Strait.
Wind Synopsis
St. Lawrence Island:
Winds on Friday (6/5) will be out of the west-northwest with speeds up to 15-20 kts/17-23 mph. By Saturday (6/6) morning, winds shift northerly and weaken to less than 15 kts/17 mph. After a brief period of southerly/southwesterly winds on Sunday (6/7) afternoon, winds return northerly and strengthen up to 15-20 kts/17-23 mph. Winds shift southerly Wednesday (6/10) and weaken to less than 15 kts/17 mph through Friday (6/12).
Wales to Shishmaref:
West-southwest winds less than 15 kts/17 mph are expected on Friday (6/5). Winds shift north-northwest and weaken to 10 kts/mph or less on Saturday (6/6). Winds strengthen Sunday (6/7) evening up to 20 kts/23 mph. Winds shift westerly-southwesterly and weaken to less than 15 kts/17 mph by Tuesday (6/9) and continue through the rest of the period.
Diomede:
West-southwest winds less than 15 kts/17 mph are expected on Friday (6/5). Winds shift north-northwest and weaken to 10 kts/mph or less on Saturday (6/6). Winds strengthen Sunday (6/7) morning up to 20 kts/23 mph. Winds shift westerly-southwesterly Tuesday (6/9) and continue through the rest of the period, weakening to less than 15 kts/17 mph by Wednesday (6/10).
Nome:
The same trend exists Friday (6/5) to Wednesday (6/10): stronger winds up to 20 kts/23 mph from the west in the afternoon, before weakening to less 15 kts/17 mph and turning northerly overnight and into the morning. Winds become more consistently westerly on Wednesday (6/10) up to 20 kts/23 mph for the rest of the period.
Port Clarence/Brevig Mission:
Weak westerly-southwesterly winds of 10 kts/mph or less on Friday (6/5) turn northerly and strengthen to up to 15 kts/17 mph by Saturday (6/6). Winds turn more northwesterly on Monday (6/9) and briefly up to 20 kts/23 mph. Winds then shift back westerly up to 15 kts/17 mph on Wednesday (6/10).
Temperature Trend
St. Lawrence Island:
High temperatures start in mid-to-upper 40s on Friday (6/5), decrease into the upper 30s/low 40s over the weekend and through the beginning of next week (6/7-6/10) before warming back into the mid 40s at the end of next week (6/11-6/12). There’s a similar trend in low temperatures, with lows in the mid 30s for Friday (6/5) and Saturday (6/6), dropping into the low 30s through the middle of next week (6/7-6/10) before warming back into the mid-to-upper 30s for the end of next week (6/11-6/12).
Wales to Shishmaref:
High temperatures in the mid 40s on Friday (6/5) will drop through the weekend, with temperatures in the upper 30s to low 40s on Saturday (6/6) and temperatures in the low-to-mid 30s on Sunday (6/7) and Monday (6/8). Temperatures then warm into the mid-to-upper 30s for the rest of the week (6/9-6/12). Low temperatures will start the week in the upper 20s to low 30s, before warming into the low-to-mid 30s starting on Wednesday (6/10).
Diomede:
High temperatures will stay in the mid-to-upper 30s for the period. Temperatures will be warmest (about 40) on Saturday (6/6) and coldest (mid 30s) on Sunday (6/8) and Monday (6/9), before warming back into the upper 30s on Tuesday (6/10). Low temperatures will hover on either side of 30 for the period, with the warmest lows on Friday (6/6) and the coldest on Monday/Tuesday (6/8, 6/9)
Nome:
High temperatures will start in the upper 50s/low 60s on Friday (6/5) and Saturday (6/6), before cooling into the low-to-mid 50s by Monday (6/8). Temperatures then return into the mid 50s on Wednesday (6/10) through the rest of the week. Low temperatures follow the same pattern with lows in the low 40s on Friday and Saturday (6/5-6/6) dropping into the mid 30s by Monday (6/8), and back into the upper 30s by Wednesday (6/10)
Port Clarence/Brevig Mission:
High temperatures will start in the upper 40s/low 50s on Friday (6/5) and Saturday (6/6) before cooling into the low-to-mid 40s on Sunday (6/7). High temperatures return into the upper 40s by Wednesday (6/10).
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 Local Conditions
Observations from Sivuqaq / Gambell
Our Gambell observer is participating in a walrus research cruise for the rest of the month. Observations from others in Gambell will be added here if available.
Observations from Sivungaq / Savoonga
Tuesday, 2 June 2026 – Aqef Waghiyi
Boats went out and they get walrus and some got female with calfs.
Thursday, 4 June 2026 – Aqef Waghiyi
Some people went out boating.
Images from Savoonga courtesy of Aqef Waghiyi.
Observations from Sitaisaq / Brevig Mission / Port Clarence
Friday, 5 June 2026 – Marc Barr
People here got oogruk and walrus this week. Ice finally rot and broke free making lead to the game. Ice keep coming in and out of the harbor. North winds blow the ice out.
Observations from Kingigin / Wales
Observation from Wales coming soon.
Observations from Inaliq / Diomede
Observation from Inaliq coming soon.
Observations from Kigiktaq / Shishmaref
Thursday, 4 June 2026 – Christopher Ningeulook
The ice along the beach shore continues to deteriorate. Northerly and westerly winds will continue for a few days, with it cold mornings and cool daytime temperatures. Not much fog or precipitation forecasted but is likely with the westerly wind.
View video: https://youtube.com/shorts/3P7bXIk1lBU?feature=share
Observations from Sitnasuaq / Nome
Observation from Nome / Sitnasuaq coming soon.
Nome Sea Ice Radar: https://seaice.alaska.edu/coastal-ice-observations/nome
Shared by the Alaska Ocean Observing System (AOOS) for 3–11 June 2026
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)