Big changes in weather can be scary and impact our lives. This is often the case when we are driving and there is a sudden change of weather. The most drastic change is when it goes from no snow to a sudden winter storm that brings a lot of cold weather and snow. This can catch a lot of people by surprise and it can lead to many people having the wrong tires on their vehicles. Since driving with tires that are not approved for winter use in real winter conditions is associated with danger, this can lead to a dangerous situation on the roads during these storms. It is always safer to immediately leave the roads and find safe shelter during the time you have the snowfall.
Being ready for snowstorms is one of the precautions that you should be prepared for by changing to winter tires as you enter into mid/late fall. As winter tires outperform all-season tires you should try to change as soon as the temperatures start approaching freezing. It is recommended to change once the temperature goes down to 45 degrees Fahrenheit. So, there is no reason to wait for the snow to come, it is better to be on the safe side and already change and with that have better low temperature performance versus all-season tires. The challenge with using all-season tires at low temperatures is that they turn hard and will thus lose a lot of its friction, so that you will not have the same braking distance or grip as you might expect from your tires. When you instead use your winter tires, they will be able to better adapt to the road surface as they remain soft even at low temperatures.
Even just thunderstorms can cause a lot of problems due to very heavy rainfall. When you get a lot of rain pouring down the risk of hydroplaning increases. If you are not careful you can easily end up in an accident. You should reduce your speed even if you have good quality tires with good tread depth. It is always important to keep track of your tread depth of your tires so that you know when you need to purchase new tires and when you should rotate the tires, to even out the wear between the front and rear tires. Low tread depth will increase braking distance, increase risk of hydroplaning and decrease your overall grip. Uneven tread depth among the tires can alter the performance and stability when you drive, so that the car can over or understeer in corners.
The ability to choose the correct tires will be essential for ensuring good driving safety during challenging weather conditions. The same goes to be prepared for the weathers that can come, especially during the winter season, by changing early to winter tires and not waiting to the last minute and risking being too late.
For more information regarding winter tires that will be able to handle snowstorms without jeopardizing your safety, visit: www.nokiantires.com