Time to switch?

I have an acquaintance that mentioned that he leaves his winter tires on all year. He’s well educated and well-heeled so I must confess I was surprised to learn that. We know that the performance of all-seasons is compromised in the winter. Does the reverse actually hold true for winter tires?

Indeed it does. There a few things to consider. Sure, you want a reasonable amount of flexibility in your tires so that they grip the surface of the road rather than skate over it. So, isn’t more flexibility always a good thing? Nope. Winter tires get squirmier as the temperatures rise. This increased motion creates heat and heat accelerates the deterioration of the tire. Additionally, the opening and closing of the sipes in the winter tread that do such a stellar job of drawing and expelling moisture in the winter become an additional source of heat as they open and close during summer temperatures. Finally, the softer winter tire compound itself wears more quickly when it’s warmer out. There is even a chemical degradation that occurs creating a greasy film.