Alaskan Daily Digest - Termination Dust

I love so many things about Alaska. One of the things I love most is speaking "Alaskan." I remember stumbling across a lot of "Alaskana" terms while researching moving here. Now, I get really excited when I can use them!

Yesterday I posted on Facebook a pic and post about "termination dust." I was surprised that I had a little trouble finding a definition for it. I know what it is, and so does everyone else who lives here, but there's not a whole lot about it on the web or in my Alaska Almanac. Finally, I found a post on the Princess Cruises website. Here is what they have to say:

Termination Dust: The construction workers during the building boom in the 1940's called the snowfall each year termination dust because it meant the end of their jobs would be terminated for the season. Now, it is used to refer to the first snowfall signaling the end of the summer season.

Here are a couple of pics. The first is from yesterday, the second from today. Both are from a window in my office building.