It is important for you who are not so educated about tires to understand what winter and snow tires are. They are tires that have been optimized for the conditions that dominate the winter season. These conditions include sub-45°F temperatures and weather conditions where snow on the ground is common. They were initially referred to as snow tires, as they had to handle that, but nowadays, they are more referred to as winter tires, as they cover any type of winter conditions, including ice and slush. However, snow tires are still used as a synonym for winter tires.
You should use winter tires when you drive in areas that have winter conditions. Since winter tires should only be used during the months when you have winter conditions, you need to combine them with another set of tires for the other months. These tires would then be all-season tires, and you would have another set of rims for them, so the tire change is smooth and easy. You would then store the tires that you aren´t using during the season.
If you aren´t living in a location that has a winter that makes it worth investing in winter tires and to make the change, you might consider all-weather tires. You would still need to have tires that are winter approved to drive in winter conditions, but the advantage with all-weather tires is that they are approved and can be used at any time of the year.
For more information regarding snow and winter tires, visit: https://www.nokiantires.com/