If you’re unsure as to what winter tyres are, or the benefits they offer over a regular summer tyre, visit our Winter Tyres page. However if you are contemplating buying winter tyres for your car, we hope you find the following useful.

It’s well documented that winter tyres operate better than summer tyres when temperatures are below 7 degrees celsius, but how often do temperatures drop below that where you live in the UK? We’ve looked at regional average (mean) temperatures in the UK for each month of the year to determine if you can justify the cost of winter tyres. The below maps show mean daily temperatures in the UK by region, however temperatures are likely to be significantly less during the night and also at peak travel times for most. If you are on the roads during rush hour, anytime between 7-9am and 4-6pm, it’s likely that the temperature will be below the daily average, further justifying the benefits of winter tyres. It’s also worth considering your immediate location in the region in which you live. If you live in an urban area, its likely that temperatures will remain higher than rural locations sometimes as much as 5 degrees difference within just a few miles as the city retains more heat than open countryside, this is particularly noticeable during night time temperatures and so will be more evident at peak travel times.
 

• JAN
• FEB
• MAR
• APR
• MAY
• JUN
• JUL
• AUG
• SEP
• OCT
• NOV
• DEC

*Data based on MET Office mean daily temperature in the UK between 1981-2010

Winter Tyres by Region

It's no great surprise that Scotland, Northern England and Northern Ireland are the coldest regions of the UK and winter tyres are recommended from Octover through to April here, that's over 50% of the year. Central London has the highest mean temperature of any region and only drops below 7 degrees C on average in December, meaning it's unlikely that winter tyres are justified for the short time where conditions dictate.
 

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