When to put on and remove winter tires in your region
Find a local planning window for snow tire installation and spring removal. The dates adjust to your selected location’s climate, recent forecast and hemisphere.
🔍Check Salt Risk
When to install winter tires
Book ahead of recurring cold weather. We look for the first seven consecutive nights at or below 7°C (about 45°F), or an earlier snowfall or wet freezing event, and suggest seven days of lead time. An approaching cold spell can move that date forward.
When to remove winter tires
We look beyond a short warm spell: the historical estimate requires fourteen warm nights above 7°C after the final cold or wintry event of the season. If forecast cold conflicts with the date, we withhold the suggestion so you can check again.
Local climate matters more than a fixed calendar
An inland cold spell can arrive before coastal temperatures fall. Mountain destinations can remain colder than a nearby city. Check the location where you will drive, and compare your route’s destinations when traveling. Southern-hemisphere winters are calculated on their own seasonal calendar.
Warm regions may have no recurring winter-tire window, while persistently cold areas may have no supported removal date. Missing evidence is shown explicitly. Historical ranges reflect year-to-year variation, not a promise that this season will follow the same pattern.
Why the 7°C threshold?
Continental’s tire-change guidance uses 7°C as a seasonal changeover reference. Our model applies a conservative overnight-low rule and planning buffers to turn local weather into approximate dates. These are our heuristics, not a manufacturer-approved schedule. Follow your tire maker’s advice and local requirements.