When Is the Right Time to Switch Back to All-Season Radial Tires in Vancouver

Winter Tires are important for maintaining traction on icy roads and ensuring that you have a safe and stress-free trip. In some colder climates where snow into May and June are a possibility, the Greater Vancouver area tends to have a much more mild climate and hence the signals for when you should change back to your regular tires come much earlier in the year and are much more subtle.

It can be important to notice these signals as driving on winter tires when it is not necessary can cause them to wear down quicker and require replacement sooner.

The General Rule

Negative seven (-7) degrees Celsius to plus seven (+7) degrees Celsius seems to be the agreed-upon range for when to change your tires. As soon as it hits minus seven, get those winter tires on, and as soon as it consistently hits plus seven, switch back to all seasons.

The thinking behind all-season tires is consistency, you don’t want to be caught in a sudden snow dump. It is also important to note that in BC, when driving on the highways that cut through the mountains, you may be required by law to have winter tires from October 1st to March 31st or the end of April regardless of regular temperatures, though that doesn’t apply to urban areas.

So, when you change your tires depends significantly on where you drive.

The Local Climate

Snow in Vancouver and the rest of South Western BC tends to last from December to March, with some occasional snowfall popping up in April. Generally though, Vancouver is snow free from May to September.

Hopefully this has given you some basic insight as to when to switch over your tires, if you have any more complicated or pressing concerns regarding your tires you can always check with our friendly, expert mechanics and contact us.

Gary's Automotive has been providing honest and reliable automotive services in the Greater Vancouver area for over 30 years. If you have any questions about this article or would like to schedule some service for your vehicle, please call (604) 541-1818.

Sources 

https://www.intact.ca/blog/en/when-to-roll-out-your-winter-tires.html 

https://www.currentresults.com/Weather/Canada/British-Columbia/Places/vancouver-snowfall-totals-snow-accumulation-averages.php