LightChance (beta)
LoginStart free

Photo locations · Zermatt · Switzerland

Riffelsee Matterhorn Reflection: sunrise photography forecast

Riffelsee is one of the simplest Matterhorn compositions and one of the hardest to get perfectly: the mountain is obvious, but the reflection needs calm water and a clear summit at the same time. Dawn gives you the best chance of both.

Sunset tomorrowSunset TuesdaySunset Wednesday

Will tomorrow's sunrise be worth it?

Simplified forecast from the open model run. The full forecast — a second model, your exact viewpoint, the hourly cloud timeline — is in the app.

in 9h 39m

Blocked grey lid

Ends

in 10h 23m

Diffused muted light · even light for details & forests

Sky colors

Golden hour
Sunrise

Light corridor: blocked

Why: Thick cloud along the sun's path is likely to stop the low light.

  • Light path: blocked (71% blocking cloud at the ray's height)
  • Sun: likely hidden. You're above the low cloud (2770 m), but a solid mid-level deck (85%) sits over it; the sun stays screened from above.
  • Cloud: the low sun comes down through a high cloud sheet toward the sun (100% at 94–212 km); expect pale, weak golden light.
Viewer's line of sight, tangent to the Earth at your locationNear-ground relative humidity13% cover — too thin to draw as cloudConnected cloud layer · 26–26% cover · 10–10% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 0–70% cover · 45–65% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 0–100% cover · 10–65% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 22–70% cover · 45–65% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 52–52% cover · 10–10% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 0–100% cover · 10–65% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 42–42% cover · 10–10% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 22–70% cover · 45–65% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 52–52% cover · 10–10% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 0–100% cover · 45–65% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 100–100% cover · 10–10% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 70–70% cover · 65–65% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 0–100% cover · 45–65% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 100–100% cover · 10–10% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 78–100% cover · 45–65% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 100–100% cover · 10–10% visual uncertainty20 km · 2.0 km of air with no pressure level in it — the decks above and below are measured, this span is not50 km · 1.6 km of air with no pressure level in it — the decks above and below are measured, this span is not50 km · 2.0 km of air with no pressure level in it — the decks above and below are measured, this span is not100 km · 1.6 km of air with no pressure level in it — the decks above and below are measured, this span is not100 km · 2.0 km of air with no pressure level in it — the decks above and below are measured, this span is notlow cloud · 54% reported, 0% resolved on a pressure surface — 54% is somewhere between 2.33 and 3 kmlow cloud · 55% reported, 0% resolved on a pressure surface — 55% is somewhere between 2.77 and 3 kmlow cloud · 44% reported, 0% resolved on a pressure surface — 44% is somewhere between 0.69 and 3 kmhigh cloud · 100% reported, 81% resolved on a pressure surface — 19% is somewhere between 8 and 12 km100 km · the model says the lowest depicted cloud underside may catch orange light

Terrain is drawn for illustration only — it is not used to calculate underlight or obstruction.

cloud-cover fieldinterpolation uncertaintysun directionnear-ground humiditycloud at unresolved heightmodelled underlightunderlight · height uncertainunderlight · lit on one readinglit but hidden behind nearer cloud

Forecast refreshed a few hours before sunrise.

Know the light
before it happens

€3.33 /month

Billed annually — €39.99

Try 14 days free

Card required, nothing charged for 14 days. Cancel any time in the trial and you pay nothing at all. EU/EEA consumers: see the right-of-withdrawal section in our Terms.

For photographers: shooting Riffelsee Matterhorn Reflection

Best months

Early July to late October for a normally ice-free lake. Late September and October can bring crisp air and fresh snow on the Matterhorn, but always check the first and last Gornergrat trains.

Suggested focal lengths

16–35 mm for shoreline, lake and reflection; 50–100 mm for the Matterhorn and smaller reflection details.

Composition

The main lake is not the only option. Walk around the shore and check the smaller pools below it; a low position hides empty sky and gives more weight to the reflection.

Recommended arrival

Be at the lake 45–60 minutes before sunrise. If the first train is too late, plan an overnight stay or a legal pre-dawn hike—do not assume the railway runs for first light.

Access planning

Zermatt is car-free. Take the Gornergrat railway to Rotenboden, then follow the signed path; at 2,757 m, weather and temperature can change quickly.

Parking: Park in Täsch and continue to Zermatt by train or approved taxi.

Approach: Roughly 10 minutes downhill from Rotenboden station; allow 15–20 minutes back uphill with equipment.

Other photo locations