It is an undisputable fact that the earth has been getting warmer since industrialisation and that the climate has changed considerably. Air temperature in the European Alps has now increased by more than 2.5 K since pre-industrial times. By the end of the 21st century, substantial shifts in snowmelt and more frequent droughts are expected to also substantially impact alpine grassland and its provision of ecosystem services (water yield, carbon storage, fodder production, etc.). We will here present results of a longer term experiment in the Swiss Alps at 2500 m a.s.l. (established 10 years ago) in which annually recurring treatments of advanced and delayed snowmelt were combined with 5- and 10-week summer droughts. Aboveground plant biomass production and single plant species performance will be related to belowground plant signals under the experimental treatments. And we will show why terricolous lichens are under risk under continuing dry summer. Earlier snowmelt alone will not stimulate biomass production in alpine grassland, either above or below ground. Root growth responses to summer drought depend on its duration and the long winter periods ‒usually not accounted for due to limited accessibility‒ contribute to root losses, particularly in combination with severe drought in the preceding growing season.