Snow Tires and Winter Travel to Warmer Climates

[k_to_the_v]

I realize this isn't a car community, but I have googled a number of different terms and cannot get any good info on this.

I live in SW Michigan (where the three most frequently heard words in the winter are "lake effect snow"). I drive a FWD vehicle and will have snow tires put on this winter.

However, I am snowbirding for part of the winter in Arizona. In February. Traveling though places like Denver, which could potentially be getting a ton of snow on the drive down OR back.

Where I'm staying, average highs during that time of year are around 60, with lows close to 30 (high desert). I'm wondering if I could get away with keeping the snow tires on for the trip - it would make me feel more confident of the very long drive there and back. From what I can tell, it's the temperature that degrades the tires more than anything else.

Any insight?

[GuitarStv]

If the daytime highs usually goes above 7 degrees (44 in backwardsland degrees :P ), take your winter tires off.  They're not doing any good until it's much cooler than that.

[TrMama]

Leave 'em on. The hassle of hauling, or buying, tires to use in the warm location isn't going to be worth it when you'll only be there a few months. They may not last as long as they would've if you pulled them off, but it won't be noticeable anyway.

They will also be loud, but that will just remind you of how nice it is to be in <warm location> rather than in Michigan.

[Fudge102]

Thread-jack:

I'm the opposite.  I live in the desert of CA.  February highs of mid 50's (and no snow, maybe rain).  But I'll be moving to the northeast if all works out.  It's been a while since I've driven through any weather.  And I've been stuck in the south for so long now that I've never needed snow tires.  Any advice for traveling to a snowy location and moving there?  Buy once there and use kinda thing or...?

[gaja]

Are these spiked tires or non-spiked? Snow tires, or all year tires? The only thing you need spiked tires for is ice. The downside of winter tires is that they handle wet roads worse than summer tires, so aquaplaning is more likely.

[k_to_the_v]

Non spiked snow tears. I will only be in AZ for the month of February, then will have to drive back through likely snow and bad weather again (which is why I'm leaning towards keeping them on). My options are:

Keep on the snow tires for the month of Feb, including the drive from MI to AZ and back. OR
Remove the snow tires prior to the trip, use the standard all seasons/warm weather tires for the entire trip, including the drive out and back.

I don't have the option of swapping out while I'm there, not enough cargo space to haul the all seasons with me.

Which is why I'm leaning towards leaving them on. Unless global warming speeds way up, there WILL be snow and possibly a storm on the drive out/back.

[GuitarStv]

Oh.  If it's just for a shorter period of time, and you know you'll be going through snow on the way there/back it's probably worth leaving the tires on.

[Le Poisson]

If you have flexibility in your travel plans, I suggest driving on a clear day when there is no snow in the forecast, and using the all-seasons.

A month of driving on the snows in the heat won't affect things much, but why put the wear on them if you don't have to? The rubber in the all seasons is not ideal for cold weather driving (it is harder than the soft rubber on the snows) but if you aren't driving through a storm, and you are making the trip down in one or two days, you should be fine. Just travel at the speed of traffic and leave a bigger gap than usual from the car in front of you.

According to Google, the drive will take about 30h each way (I did Flint to Tucson for a good guess), so I would break it in 3 for 10 hour days. By day 2 you will be well into warmer areas and will be fine.

[k_to_the_v]

FLINT IS NOT SW MI!

Lol. Sorry. Us west siders are very sensitive about being lumped in with the east siders.

[Le Poisson]

Everything I know about Michigan is this:

- Lock your doors in Detroit
- There's good fishing up north.

Forgive my error.

[choppingwood]

If it is just for a month, leave the winter tires on.

You won't get as good mileage on bare roads and you'll wear the tread down a bit because they are softer, but it is impossible to predict the driving conditions through that many states at two times a month apart. It will be much less worry for you.

My all seasons are great on wet pavement and snow, but completely terrifying on ice. The winter tires are much less frightening on wet pavement, though I'm careful when driving.

[JLee]

I would try to avoid long trips in AZ, but keep snow tires on for the trip. The last thing you want is all seasons when going through the mountains in CO in February.

[aperture]

Leave the snow tires on.  I find in Denver, that the snow is infrequent with long stretches of sunny days in between.  I put snow tires on my DW's car in October and remove them in May, and she really needs them in town about a half-dozen times.  The rest of the time, she might as well be driving with you in Arizona.  Best wishes, Ap.