A snow making apparatus comprises at least one water/air nozzle (12, 12′) for ejecting a water/air mixture (M). The snow making apparatus is developed in that it comprises at least one jet pump (10, 10′, 10″) which operates with water (W) as a driving medium and mixes the air (A) with the water (W) and compresses the water/air mixture (M) in order to form the water/air mixture (M) which is supplied to the at least one water/air nozzle (12, 12′). A method of operating a snow making apparatus comprises corresponding features. The invention enables unused energy, which is converted into heat in snow making apparatuses according to the prior art, to be used in a particularly effective manner.