Extraordinary Mountain clouds Part 3: The Matterhorn on fire

The legendary Matterhorn; it’s the final destination on your Chamonix to Zermatt Haute Route and its characteristic shape makes it one of the most beautiful mountains of the Alps.

And as if this iconic shaped peak isn’t already stunning enough by itself, it regularly creates a banner shaped cloud on one side of its summit, causing the mountain to appear to be on fire. When this banner cloud appears, the Matterhorn looks like a smoking volcano that could erupt any minute.

How this cloud is formed

The Matterhorn is a pointed, isolated peak with high, steep cliffs and it’s exactly this iconic shape that creates its banner shaped cloud on the side of the famous mountain. It’s formed when a strong wind blows around the rugged mountain. As soon as air flows around the Matterhorn with great speed, it causes air vortex on the leeward side of the mountain which forces the airflow upwards. When the air gets pushed upwards, it cools down and condensates, forming a “cloud of smoke” on the leeward side.

Stationary

If the wind continuously comes from the same direction, the Matterhorn’s banner cloud can remain stationary in the same place for hours. Although the cloud seems to be stationary in the same place, the air creating the cloud continues to flow; as long as the wind blows from the same direction at the same speed, containing the same amount of moisture, the cloud will stay visible in exactly the same spot.

Another peak on fire

Another mountain on the Chamonix to Zermatt Haute Route creating this particular cloud phenomenon, is the Aiguille Verte (4122 m) in the Chamonix valley. Also this mountain regularly “smokes”. 

Good news

When the Matterhorn is on fire, there is a very good chance the sun will be shining tomorrow!

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Simone van Velzen

In her work as an alpine naturalist Simone adds an exciting new dimension to your Tour du Mont Blanc trek with insights into the incredibly rich flora and fauna of the Alps. Simone studied Wildlife Management at the Van Hall Institute in the Netherlands. After her studies she left her home country (which is flatter than a pancake) and moved to British Columbia. In the Canadian Rockies, she discovered the astonishing richness of mountain environments. Her passion for mountain nature was born. And when she returned to Europe, she based herself in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, the perfect setting for exploring and studying the natural history of mountain environments. As an alpine naturalist she writes for outdoor magazines and leads excursions in the natural world.

If you step into the natural world with Simone, her passion for all living things—wild flowers to lichen, birds to mammals—can’t help but rub off on you. She’s excited to meet you on your Tour du Mont Blanc and share the amazing natural wonders in the Alps.

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