The study looked at how snow cover affects plant growth on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Over 40 years, snow depth decreased while plant growth increased slightly. Precipitation had the biggest impact on plant growth, followed by snow depth, temperature, and sunlight. Changes in plant growth happened at the same time as changes in weather, but snow cover changes were different. Higher areas were more affected by snow cover. Plant growth responded differently to snow depth changes in different regions, with a delay of about 2 months. Heavy snow negatively impacted plant growth for over 3 years. Understanding how plants respond to snow cover changes is important for predicting plant growth on the plateau.