HELENA — With an impending snow storm, tire shops throughout Montana have been trying to keep up with the abrupt demand.
Phil Sebastian is the owner of Eagle Tire in Helena, and he says that on Wednesday alone, they installed 30 to 40 sets of snow tires.
In his many years in the tire business, Sebastian says that this is by far one of the earliest times he has seen drivers line up for snow tires.
From all weather tires to studded snow tires, it’s important to know which tire is the best for your driving conditions this winter.
"The difference is in the tread compounding,” Sebastian said. “The snow tires is made out of a tread that gets softer and more pliable when it gets cold out, and so when it is snowing, the all season (tires)… on the surface, it gets harder so it gets a little less traction than the snow tire."
It’s also important to keep in mind that under Montana law, studded snow tires are prohibited between May 31st and October 1st, however, driving safety is a top priority during snow storms, and Montana Highway Patrol encourages drivers to be safe, and say that troopers have discretion to not ticket drivers who choose to put studded tires on a few days early.
