snow vs. slush

[Houm_WA]

Anyone have any data, anecdotal or otherwise, showing the traction differences in wet snow or slush vs. dry powdery snow and ice?

In the past, I've struggled to gain traction in slushy snow. Yesterday and today western washington was hit with some snow, not a lot, but enough dry snow and ice that I have noted much better performance with the same Michelin Synchrones that sucked so bad last year in a flash snow storm (in Portland) that I got caught in. Similar amounts of snow, but the composition (wet vs. dry) was the difference.

What has been people's experience?

 

[blackforestham]

Houm - I think the biggest difference you're seeing is temperature variance between the two situations. In ultra-dry powder, the tread is unable to compress or pack the snow down due to the lower temperature. That's why it's momentum that allows you to blast through the drifts. Packed snow is very granular and quite coarse. It's the grain structure which aids in providing traction. Rubber, on it's own is inherently smooth and provides little resistance to smooth or icy surfaces. This is where the packed snow helps out.
As soon as the temperature rises enough to provide "slush", the grain structure may not be enough to overcome the hydroplaning effect of the water trapped between the packed grain on your tread and the liquid depth of the melted snow. That's why you'll see better traction in colder conditions with the same tire. Now add ice - you're screwed.

 

[yrbender]

Sometimes the wet snow will behave like mud in the right conditions and fill your tread. It helps to run an all season, severe weather (mountain snowflake) rated tire or a winter tire. We had record snowfall last year and I never had any problems in the LR3 but ditched my wife's navigator going up the drive. Felt a little better when the tow truck got stuck too it was really bad weather but great skiing!! Traded that in for an LX and that goes very well in the snow.

 

[di_LR3_co]

wet snow is by far worse to drive in that dry snow. depending on the tread pattern, you'll most likely end up "hydroplaning" instead of cutting through it.

 

[antichrist]

Wet snow/slush can be much harder to push through that an equal depth of dry snow.

 

[jesus_man]

I often take my rock crawling rig (bronco on 35's) snow bashing. It's amazing how well you can do on a cold day when the snow is powdery compared to a day when the snow is melting. When you spin in the powder, nothing really happens at first and you can usually back out of the situation. Spin when the snow is melted and you have instant ice! A tall narrow tire will be better in the slush to cut thru, but the OEM size tire is neither.

J.D.