This is where winter/snow tires shine. They’re engineered to provide optimum traction here, with rubber that stays soft and pliable in bitter temperatures (which improves grip). These tires also have slits that act as biting edges to help maintain control.
Slick, icy roads.
Stud-able and studless winter/snow tires work well here. Stud-able ones have holes in the tread to hold metal studs; the studs claw the ice, improving grip. Studless tires have rubber that has been formulated to enhance grip on snow and ice, and therefore don’t need studs. They work like a squeegee on ice; you can actually hear that sound when you stop.
Melted snow and dry pavement.
In these conditions winter/snow tires generally do not grip as well as all-season tires, and their tread wears faster. You’ll want to swap them for your regular tires when spring rolls around.
