Here in sunny Florida, you won’t have a lot of need for snow tires. Yet, when it comes to choosing the right tire, there are still quite a few tire types to consider. Summer tires, all season tires, low-rolling-resistance tires, and tires with special tread patterns have different advantages and disadvantages. PartsMax has considered all the features and concluded what is the ideal tire for Florida weather. If you live in a colder climate, another type of tire may work better for you.

Different Tire Types

All-Season Tires

While all-season tires are popular around the country for their versatility in all temperatures and most weather, they are probably not the best for Florida weather. The advantage is really for travelers. If you are taking any trips into areas where it drops below 40°F, summer tires will not cut it. In fact, you should not even flex summer tires if they are in storage and the temperature falls below this temperature.

All season tires are made of a durable rubber that holds up well in all temperatures. Some tread patterns make particular models better at removing rain and snow or better at dry driving. Directional tires that channel water away from the tire may wear down quicker due to the limited rotational patterns.

Winter Tires

Winter tires have virtually zero value to Florida drivers because the rubber is designed to stay soft at cold temperatures. At hot temperatures, these tires are too soft and will go bald much faster than summer or all-season tires. Winter tires feature deeper tread patterns with spikes or thousands of micro-slits to bite at the road. All season tires will make your car slide around like it is on ice cubes if you drive them on heavy snow-packed or icy roads. Most people mount winter tires on heavier steel wheels to give the car a higher unsprung-weight that allows the vehicle to hold traction and handle better in the snow.

Winter tires are designed so specifically for snow that it is not even a good idea to drive them on bare roads that don’t see a lot of precipitation in the winter. They will wear out prematurely and increase fuel consumption. The only people who require winter tires are people who see a good amount of snow and unplowed roads in the winter. People who live in rural areas or near ski resorts that are inherently hazardous in winter rely on snow tires.

Low Rolling Resistance Tires

Low-rolling-resistance tires are designed to improve fuel economy. Silica is added to the natural and synthetic rubber compounds to reduce the resistance of flexing that inhibits rolling. Having to overcome the resistance of the tire flexing can knock as much as 1 or 2 miles per gallon off your fuel economy. The performance of the tire may or may not be affected by the designs in certain weather. These tires typically have shallower treads to reduce rolling resistance and are often limited to all season tire compounds. This is because the summer tire rubber is too soft and would wear quicker than other tire types.

Summer Tires, The Right Tire for Most Floridians

Summer tires should not be driven on in temperatures below 40°F or even flexed. The best models are also designed with tread patterns to channel away rain and puddles. Even though many people think all season tires are better in all weather, this is not the case. Summer tires are gummier in warm temperatures and designed to grip the road for better handling, traction, and fuel economy. A summer tire mounted on a lightweight alloy wheel will improve handling, braking, and fuel economy. You can find the tires to satisfy all your needs at PartsMax, for any road conditions.