A method and an apparatus for making artificial snow with a snow-making machine having a funnel-shaped carrier. The carrier has, at the inlet end thereof, a fan adapted to provide rapid flow of air through the carrier, and at the outlet end thereof, both a ring of atomizing nozzles mounted close to a nose cone of the snow-making machine, and several (preferably three or more) rings of water distribution nozzles. The water nozzles are arranged to eject a curtain of water drops obliquely into the flow of air passing through the carrier. The method involves the steps of: (a) turning on the fan so that a rapid flow of air is moved through the snow-making machine, (b) pressing water under high pressure through the ring of atomizing nozzles, (c) then turning on pressurized water in a first ring of water distribution nozzles, and (d) thereafter, stepwise after each other, turning on pressurized water to the remaining rings of water distribution nozzles.