Based on the satellite remote sensing data from 2000 to 2020 and the daily sandstorm data of seven meteorological stations from 1961 to 2020 in the Shiyang River Basin, we analyzed the multi-scale variation characteristics and relationship between watershed vegetation coverage and sandstorm frequency, duration and intensity, and explored its influence on the occurrence and development of sandstorm by using the methods of univariate regression trend method, linear tendency rate and correlation coefficient. The results showed that the watershed vegetation coverage increased slightly, and NDVI increased at the rate of 0.000 9 per year. The NDVI began to recover in 2007. Recovery was more obvious after 2010, and the recovery rates in the upper and middle reaches were faster than that in the lower reaches. The sandstorm frequency decreased significantly, and the interannual trend rate was -2.8 d/10 a. It decreased the most significantly in the past 10 years, which was 14.5 days less than that in the 1970s. The rate of reduction was slower in the middle reaches and that was faster in the lower reaches. The rate of reduction in four seasons followed the order of spring>summer>winter>autumn. The sandstorm duration was significantly shortened, the interannual trend rate was -12.2 m/10 a. The duration in the last 10 years was the shortest, which was 60.9 min shorter than that in the 1970s. The shorting time in the middle reaches was slower and that was faster in the lower reaches. The sandstorm intensity had no obvious change, and the minimum visibility was around 0.496 km. The frequency and duration of sandstorm were negatively correlated with full-basin NDVI, NDVI >0.3 area, NDVI of upper, middle and lower reaches in the current year and the previous year. The sandstorm intensity had a weak negative correlation with full-basin NDVI, NDVI >0.3 area, NDVI of upper, middle and lower reaches, and a weak positive correlation with NDVI of the previous year. The improvement of vegetation cover in the watershed had obvious restraining effect on sandstorm.