The Washington State Department of Transportation says they’re giving you a pass this year- it’s OK to start using studded tires now even though they normally aren’t allowed until Nov. 1.
That’s because the season’s first snow is falling in the Cascade and Olympic mountains. The department says that some of the higher Cascades passes such as Chinook or North Cascades could get up to 2 feet of snow.
However, if you’re not driving across passes, the WSDOT asks that you wait another week to put studs on your car.
Why so early? A little slush on Snoqualmie? Slow down and you would not need the snow tires for another month or so.
I just looked at the live cameras from the passes and there's not even slush on them- just wet roadways. Of course, that doesn't mean there won't be later. But all in all, slowing down would be a better option considering that doesn't hurt our roadways like studs on bare asphalt in the lower regions does.