Ashfall

/ˈæʃˌfɔːl/ noun

Definition

The fall or descent of ash from the atmosphere, typically after a volcanic eruption, large fire, or explosion.

Etymology

From ash (the particles) plus fall (descent); a modern compound word created to describe the phenomenon of ash falling from the sky.

Kelly Says

Ashfall is a geological term that became much more common after Mount St. Helens erupted in 1980, raining ash across eleven states—it fundamentally changed how scientists and the public understood volcanic hazards.

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