Just to relate a quick experience...
I have a 2019 Model 3 LR AWD.
This past week I took a road trip from the San Francisco Bay Area to Denver following Interstate 80 through Nevada, Utah, Wyoming then down into Colorado.
I have the stock 18" Aero wheels and Michelin OEM tires (not all season). I carefully monitored the weather and felt confident that there was no snow in the forecast. Just in case, I bought the tire chains from Tesla shop (didn't need them).
Everything went great up until Elk Mountain, Wyoming. This was Thursday evening - Feb 18th.
From Elk Mountain to Laramie the wind was blowing a steady 50-60mph causing near white-out conditions. The road was fairly clean but visibility was awful. Temperature was about 10-15 degrees (F).
I got myself a safe distance behind an 18-wheeler and slowly worked my way along. Sometimes as slow as 15 mph - never more than 30 mph.
There were moments when I couldn't even see the lane markings and the truck lights would disappear. Only for 2-3 seconds at a time but it was nevertheless terrifying.
Even with the stock tires the car handled beautifully. There was 2 or 3 times when a particularly brutal gust would actually push the car sideways a little. As I mentioned, the road was fairly clean but it was starting to get slick in spots. It is unnerving to feel the car moving sideways but it recovered very quickly and stayed in the lane.
The next morning that stretch of I-80 was closed to all traffic...
And to give nerves a break I took the "southern" route back home - I-70 down to Las Vegas then up the California central valley.
That'll be the last time I try driving through Wyoming in the winter!
I have a 2019 Model 3 LR AWD.
This past week I took a road trip from the San Francisco Bay Area to Denver following Interstate 80 through Nevada, Utah, Wyoming then down into Colorado.
I have the stock 18" Aero wheels and Michelin OEM tires (not all season). I carefully monitored the weather and felt confident that there was no snow in the forecast. Just in case, I bought the tire chains from Tesla shop (didn't need them).
Everything went great up until Elk Mountain, Wyoming. This was Thursday evening - Feb 18th.
From Elk Mountain to Laramie the wind was blowing a steady 50-60mph causing near white-out conditions. The road was fairly clean but visibility was awful. Temperature was about 10-15 degrees (F).
I got myself a safe distance behind an 18-wheeler and slowly worked my way along. Sometimes as slow as 15 mph - never more than 30 mph.
There were moments when I couldn't even see the lane markings and the truck lights would disappear. Only for 2-3 seconds at a time but it was nevertheless terrifying.
Even with the stock tires the car handled beautifully. There was 2 or 3 times when a particularly brutal gust would actually push the car sideways a little. As I mentioned, the road was fairly clean but it was starting to get slick in spots. It is unnerving to feel the car moving sideways but it recovered very quickly and stayed in the lane.
The next morning that stretch of I-80 was closed to all traffic...
And to give nerves a break I took the "southern" route back home - I-70 down to Las Vegas then up the California central valley.
That'll be the last time I try driving through Wyoming in the winter!