sluff
n.— «Loose-snow avalanches: Also known as “point releases,” typically start from a single point and fan outward as they descend. Also known as sluffs, these types of avalanches are common but generally less dangerous, partially because most sluffs fracture beneath a trigger point (i.e., a skier’s tracks). However, a large sluff can carry a skier down a slope or over a cliff and is capable of burying a vehicle or a house.» —“Blasting powder” by Brian Metzler Rocky Mountain News (Denver, Colorado) Feb. 25, 2008. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
How long can a newly married woman be called a bride? Does bride apply only as long as her wedding day, or does it extend right on through the couple’s silver anniversary and beyond? Plus, insightful advice about writing from a Pulitzer...
Sure, there’s winter, spring, summer, and fall. But the seasons in between have even more poetic names. In Alaska, greenup describes a sudden, dramatic burst of green after a long, dark winter. And there are many, many terms for a cold snap...