When to switch over from winter tires to summer tires?

I run summer tires mounted on aftermarket rims and winter tires on stock rims. Neither set is all season.
I would like your opinions on when the right time to switch back and forth would be? I live in Eastern Central Virginia. The recent 2 foot snow
storms are fresh in my mind. The ice storms around this time were far worse. I was thinking of just holding out till April 1st to switch
to summer tires just to be sure. I have seen it snow in April here but it was just a dusting. Dusting or not, I just don't want to get caught.

I got the vehicle like this so it doesn't make sense from a wallet point of view to start jerking around with all season tires since I have enough
of an arrangement right now IMHO.

Any thoughts of when to put Summer Rims/Tires back on and when to remove them in favor of Winter Rims/Tires?

I want to err on the conservative side since this car is not only my fun car, but my get me home to my family in bad weather car. It is not my DD. I don't have that much experience with this stuff because I am from South Florida where this was not an issue. Suffice it to say that I will not be moving back down there any time soon though.

Thanks for any thoughts. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/worthy.gif

 

[turbowop]

I run my snows into May, but they're studless so that's not a big deal.

 

[Hertz]

It depends on what your summer tires are.

 

[Terry Posten]

I switched mine 2 weeks ago. We may still get a few flurrys but should not amount to anything (knocking on wood).

 

[CarRacer]

I took my winters off this week. I was under the impression that running your winter tires in warmer temps (above 40*) can accelerate tire wear due to the rubber being designed for cold weather use.

I usually worry more about the potholes screwing up one of my summer rims more than anything.

 

[turbowop]

The Toyo Observes on my girlfriend's Prelude have been on there for two years and they still look and work great. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

Hell, I remember Brian using studless snows to pull 1.7 60-foots at the track in his old Talon. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rofl.gif

 

[Terry Posten]

I found that the snows that I put on the Ralliart are "floppy". Even under a very modest corner, you can feel the tread blocks give way and "flop" over causing a very slippery feeling.

I could not wait to swap back to the street tires.

 

IMO I would judge my decision on the weather patterns of my region, and switch my tires/rims based on that knowledge.
To me.........you already answered your question with the" it snows here in April" comment. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

 

[turbowop]

If this were a "gotta have the studs off by xx date to comply with state law" then get them off so you don't get a citation. Otherwise keep the snows on until you feel your ready for the summer tires.

 

Thanks for all of the input. No State Law concerning winter tire use that I am aware of. The snow in April happened once just in 5 years but the typical weather pattern is supposed to be towards more snowy winters. Well that is what the weather people say. I am sure you know how that goes. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

The winter tires are studless BTW. The summer tires are 225/50 16 Kumho Ecsta Supra 712. I got caught in a snow storm in DC with these on in December. It took me 5 hours to go the 62 miles home. When I took the final turn to my house at an honest 5 mph, the car got stuck on the side of the road and no matter what I did or what the cops tried to do to assist we couldn't get it out. They ended up having to chain it to pull it out.

I guess I can go a little bit longer on the winter tires but don't want to wear them down prematurely either.

I'll just change em over in May to avoid hassles.

Thanks again!

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/worthy.gif