Best Winter Tire Pressure: Do Tires Need More PSI in Cold Weather?

Yes, tires do need more air in cold weather. But why is this?

Have you ever noticed that your tire pressure warning indicator comes on in the winter? This isn’t necessarily a sign that your tire has been punctured (although it’s still worth checking!) or a glitch in your car’s system. It’s actually a known effect that cold weather has on air pressure. 

When the temperature lowers, particles in the air move slower and condense. Water vapor in the air, in particular, will condense in lower temperatures. It’s a rule of thumb that for every 10-degree-Fahrenheit change in temperature, your tire will lose about 1-2 PSI. If average temperatures drop significantly in your region, this can cause your TPMS (tire pressure monitoring system) to give you a warning that your tire pressure is too low. 

So what do you do when this happens? Do you need to change your tires? Do you need to fill them up? 

Cold Weather Tire Pressure

Filling your tires with the proper amount of air is essential for them to perform properly on the road. Improperly filled tires can lead to:

• Uneven tire wearing
• Bad gas mileage
• Risk of skidding or a tire blow out 

Air pressure is measured in PSI, which is a measure of pressure, not volume of air. While we have a separate article on tire pressure and PSI, for now know that air pressure is essential to tire operation. 

So, how do you know the best PSI for tires in winter? You can usually find the correct air pressure requirements for your tire directly on the side of the tire itself or the owner’s manual of your vehicle. When filling up a tire, it’s ok if it’s overfilled a little bit. There is a potential risk that your tires may wear a bit faster, but this is unlikely.

By the way, the best tire pressure for winter is the same as it is in warmer months. The reason that your tires' pressure might change is, as we explained, because of the atmospheric changes. Keep your PSI set at your manufacturer's recommendations. 

SHOP SNOW TIRES NOW

Cold Weather, Low Pressure

While you should always be in the habit of checking the pressure of your tires, it’s especially important during the change of seasons when temperature is fluctuating the most. If it’s especially cold out or your TPMS has alerted you, you should check each of your tire pressures with a pressure gauge and compare this with the recommended PSI. 

While it’s possible that all of your tires need to be filled up a bit, it’s still important to check them all, so you don’t overfill your tires. Check your tire air pressure in the morning when they haven’t been used for a few hours with a quality gauge that has accurate readings. Also, write down each reading on the gauge, so you don’t lose track of which tire needs air. 

After you find out which tires need air, you can go to your nearest gas station air pump and top them off. You’ll probably need to do this at least once every winter, especially during significant drops in temperatures. 

If the TPMS light still isn’t turning off or you find a tire has once again gone flat, it may be a sign that you have a puncture or mechanical issue. That means a visit to a mechanic to have your vehicle assessed. Another way to tell is by checking the tire pressure in all four tires. If all four tires have a low tire pressure reading, then that’s likely because of a drop in temperature. On the other hand, if one tire is much lower than the other three, then that tire might need to be checked for a leak.

If you have snow tires, it’s a different story. Generally, these are only needed if you live in a particularly icy region or plan to drive through a lot of snow. To learn more about snow tires, check out our guide on winter/snow tires.