show that the period of time during which snow is continuously present in the catchment has increased significantly by 81 (±21.01) days over the 13 year period, and that this is largely driven by a significantly later melt date, rather than earlier onset of winter snow cover. IntroductionIt is commonly thought with so much publicity around increased global temperatures that there will be less snow cover in the Cairngorms as a result of global warming. This opinion is supported by previous studies (Harrison et al, 2000). However, as data from a long term monitoring site in the Cairngorms reveal there is in fact evidence of increased snow cover over the past 13 years.