When should you switch to winter tires? Provincial breakdown, here (msn.com)

Like it or not, most Canadians will soon need to make the switch to winter tires for their vehicles. Some provinces do have laws in place, dictating the deadline for making the swap, but Mother Nature provides her own clues for when to schedule that appointment with your garage.

By design, winter tires are engineered to enhance your car's handling, traction, and braking performance when the temperature is below 7ºC. While short bouts of cooler weather do battle with lingering summer-like temperatures through the early fall across most of the country, there does come a day when the average high dips below 7, and stays there until spring.

Meteorologist André Monette of MétéoMédia, The Weather Network's Québec-based sister station, breaks down those dates for us, region by region.

While the temperatures don't drop to 7ºC until much later, winter or all-season tires are required by law on many routes in B.C. starting on October 1.

Québec is the other province that mandates winter tires for drivers. They're required between December 1 and March 15.

While no government in Atlantic Canada requires the use of winter tires, a 2018 study did suggest drivers there are among the most prepared to meet winter driving conditions. According to the report, 94 per cent of drivers there opt for winter tires.

Sources: Tirecraft | The Telegram |