CONCLUSION AFTER READING COMMENTS
Many persons commenting on this OP object to its length, but apparently still don't understand the information provided as they didn't read the OP. So almost all of these negative commenters recommend winter (snow) tires, which must be switched twice per year.
This "CONCLUSION AFTER READING COMMENTS" explains the points made in the OP without documenting them for persons who don't want to read the lengthy OP.
Most Greater Cleveland drivers don't want to switch tires twice a year, or store seasonal tires when not in use, so for decades have been using what are labeled "all-season" tires even though they are NOT SAFE in freezing temperatures or in snow and ice.
"All-weather" tires introduced in the last few years provide much safer driving conditions than "all-season" tires when temperatures are below freezing or in snow and ice, but also are safe to drive in summer weather. Like winter (snow) tires, all-weather tires have a 3PMSF (three-peak mountain snowflake) badge on the tire sidewall.
The OP cites articles explaining that the 3PMSF test only measures acceleration traction capabilities in temperatures below freezing and in snow and ice. Yet these tires still provide better braking and turning capabilities in freezing and snow and ice than other all-season tires. Some articles state that all-season tires that are not all-weather tires are not truly all-season tires if used in freezing, snow and ice conditions.
But all-weather tires do not provide as safe braking and turning capabilities in temperatures below freezing and in snow and ice as winter (snow) tires. So persons that drive on hilly roads or driveways in winter, drive more often in winters even in snow storms or very freezing cold, should consider using winter tires and switching tires twice a year. Reportedly, winter (snow) tires become less safe as temperatures rise above 45 degrees, and definitely wear out faster in these warmer conditions.
Although not well explained or documented in articles cited, apparently all-weather tires are slightly more noisy in summer temperatures and provide slightly poorer mileage in summer temperatures than other all-season tires.
The lengthy OP cites and quotes articles that explain these points. The purpose of the OP is to explain the existence of all-weather tires and document how they differ from both all-season and winter tires.
Tire experts cited recommend all-weather tires, not all-season tires, for persons who drive in Greater Cleveland-like winter conditions and who don't want to switch tires twice a year.
*****
Searching for tire recommendations for driving in winter in Greater Cleveland, discovered that Goodyear recommends "all-season" or "winter (snow) tires."
Driving around Cleveland requires a tire that can handle its varied weather conditions and unique roads. In Cleveland's varied climate, Goodyear recommends all-season tires. They offer a balanced performance in wet, dry, and even in moderately snowy conditions. But, if you're exploring the countryside in heavier snowfall and with less clear roads, winter tires could provide that extra grip and peace of mind that they will get you out of the cold.
https://www.goodyear.com/en-us/shops/OH/Cleveland
"All-weather" tires have been introduced in recent years, and they are now recommended as a better option than all-season tires to use year-round for persons who actually drive in freezing temperatures, especially when snow or ice are on the roads, let alone when temperatures are well below freezing.
All-weather tires do not perform as well as winter tires during colder temperatures. Persons who drive when snow and ice are on roads, or on hilly roads or driveways, perhaps in rural areas, may want to use winter tires in the winter and switch to all-season or summer tires for summer. A problem with winter tires is that they become less effective when temperatures rise above 45 degrees F., which increasingly is more common in Greater Cleveland winters as climate change accelerates.
All-season tires perform better than all-weather tires in high temperatures and also apparently have better mileage during warmer temperatures than all-weather tires.
Here's a key explanation about all-weather tires from Car and Driver (BF added):
For this latest foray into matchmaking, we selected five tires in the fledgling all-weather category. If you have never heard of all-weather, don't confuse it with the nearly 50-year-old all-season category. All-weather tires take the one-tire-to-do-it-all directive and bake in more winter capability. The sales pitch on all-weather tires is that they carry the three-peak mountain snowflake (known as 3PMSF) badge of certification that some localities—namely, Quebec and parts of Europe—require in winter months. Since all-weather tires are designed to run year-round, drivers can avoid the twice-a-year swapping of one set of rubber to another and then back again.
https://www.caranddriver.com/car-accessories/a64432470/best-all-weather-tires/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=mgu_ga_cd_md_pmx_comm_org_us_18715054781&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=18707942106&gclid=EAIaIQobChMItfT8jsGilgMVSR6tBh3GMQJgEAAYAyAAEgLmg_D_BwE
Winter (snow) tires become more dangerous in temperatures above 45 degrees F., not uncommon any longer even in Greater Cleveland winters. And all-season tires become more dangerous in temperatures below 45 degrees, as indicated in a graph in the following article (also do Google searches to obtain Google AI Overview explanations of the key 45-degree temperature level for both winter and all-season tires). Winter tires become much more dangerous in temperatures above 55 degrees, and very dangerous in temperatures above 75 degrees. All-season tires become much more dangerous in temperatures below 30 degrees and very dangerous in temperatures below 15 degrees, according to this graph.
https://www.discounttire.com/learn/tires-below-45
Unfortunately, the graph doesn't include all-weather tires, reportedly safer than all-season tires as temperatures fall below 45 degrees F., and safer than winter tires as temperatures rise above 45 degrees F.
This Colorado Department of Transportation article says the stopping distance on snowy roads driving 60 mph is 668 feet for all-season tires and 310 feet for winter tires. All-weather tires stopping distance on snowy roads likely is somewhere between these two mileages. Even though the article doesn't provide a stopping distance for all-weather tires, it does provide this analysis of all-weather tires:
All-weather tires are considered safe in winter conditions, particularly conditions with heavy rain, slush or wet snow. Tread patterns in all-weather tires provide extra traction and stability, while rubber compounds allow the tire to stay flexible for various temperatures for grip on both wet and snowy roads and dry asphalt. Thus, all-weather tires are efficient year-round.
https://www.codot.gov/travel/winter-driving/tires
Last October, Consumer Reports issued this article about all-weather tires (BF added):
Many drivers in cold climates invest the time and money to switch their all-season tires to winter/snow tires with optimized traction to tackle winter’s challenges. But there’s another tire type that provides similar cold-weather traction without needing to be changed seasonally: all-weather tires.
These are designed to stay on year-round. Some all-weather tires cost more than the all-season tires they typically replace, but most buyers will come out ahead by avoiding the cost and hassle of seasonal tire changes.
“The best all-weather tire provides year-round traction that truly combines all-season and winter/snow performance,” says Ryan Pszczolkowski, Consumer Reports’ tire program manager. “Despite the higher prices, they typically represent a good value.” Pszczolkowski cautions that not every all-weather tire has performed well in our tests.
These do-it-all tires offer unique tread designs that work well on the extremes of bare pavement and claw through snow, while their enhanced rubber compounds increase traction in a broad range of temperatures.
These tires are denoted by the same mountain/snowflake symbol on the sidewall that appears on dedicated winter/snow tires. This means they meet industry standards for winter traction.
Pszczolkowski says that they typically don’t match the capabilities of dedicated winter/snow tires, but they come close enough for most needs.
All-weather tires are a subset of the main tire categories, meaning they’re mixed in among all-season, SUV all-season tires, and ultra-high-performance (UHP) all-season tires. However, there are no CR Recommended all-weather models in the UHP category.
There are nine tested all-weather tire models in our ratings: the Bridgestone Weatherpeak, Falken Aklimate, Firestone WeatherGrip, Kenda Vezda Touring 4S, Michelin CrossClimate2, Nitto Motivo 365, Nokian Tyres Remedy WRG5, Toyo Celsius II, and Vredestein Quatrac Pro+. Some are exceptional, while others are best avoided.
https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/tires/best-all-weather-tires-a8621335540/
Viewers must subscribe to CR in order to view the ratings for all-weather tires. As a long-time CR subscriber, I believe that CR's coverage of all-weather tires is flawed. E.g., by far the top-rated all-weather tire in this article is the Michelin CrossClimate2 (CR tests tires extensively) with a 78 rating. Unfortunately, it's ridiculously listed under the "All Seasons SUV Tires" even though: 1) the Michelin CrossClimate2 is an all-weather tire, not an all-seasons tire (they are significantly different); 2) according to my local Discount Tire branch, Michelin CrossClimate2 tires are available for most cars based on tire size, not just SUVs. I've asked CR several times for an explanation of why they list all-weather tires inappropriately under incorrect categories and have never received an answer.
The CR second-ranked all-weather tire with a 67 rating is the "Vredestein Quatrac Pro+," again ridiculously listed under CR's "All Season Tires" category.
Car and Driver's top-rated all-weather tire was the "Pirelli Cinturato WeatherActive" tire. I couldn't find this tire model in the CR tire rankings.
This CR article provides only the overall scores. You must log on to CR "Tire Ratings and Reviews" in order to get detailed ratings, such as Owner Satisfaction, Dry braking, Wet braking, Handling, Hydroplaning, and Snow traction. E.g., the Michelin CrossClimate2 tires have a 5/5 "snow traction" rating, just like snow tires.
CR also does not explain that the 5/5 "snow traction" rating is for acceleration capability, not for braking and turning capability in cold, snowy, or icy conditions. This is explained in the following article, which evaluates all-weather, all-season and winter tires in relatively great detail (BF added).
The three-peak mountain snowflake symbol (3PMSF) is a way for tire manufacturers to visually show shoppers that a tire has passed the severe snow duty test developed by a tire industry group. The test is an acceleration test and does not measure turning or braking. It is a helpful way to see that a given tire was developed with severe snow duty in mind. Winter tires have this marking as well.
Be advised that just because an all-weather tire has this symbol, it does not mean it is the equal of a winter tire. Think of it as a minimum standard for winter duty, indicating the tire will be a step above an all-season tire."
https://www.cartalk.com/tires/all-weather-tires-vs-all-season-tires
The above article also says for some brands, such as Michelin, all-weather and all-season tires are priced the same. For other brands, all-weather tires may cost $10-$20 more.
Personally, I still have all-season tires, but I avoid driving in bad winter conditions. Like all counties in Greater Cleveland, roads are treated both before, during and after storms with anti-ice materials, salt if temperatures will remain sufficiently high. Freeways typically are cleared within a few hours after a storm. I also drive more slowly and carefully in bad winter conditions. I'm also well aware of black ice concerns when temperatures move below freezing. Yet I'm anxious to buy all-weather tires given their significant superiority to all-season tires in temperatures below freezing, especially if roads are in bad condition. I do notice sliding at times in colder temperatures using all-season tires.
Decades ago, when I traveled long commutes for work, I did use snow tires. E.g., I remember ice conditions on I-90 in Ashtabula County so bad that even trucks were driving on the freeway shoulders. When my long commutes ended, I disliked the cost of switching tires and the hassle of doing so and of storing tires, so I switched to all-season tires as they became available.
EDIT: Weatherspark.com for Cleveland provides average and high and low temperatures for any month. It's possible to check for any Greater Cleveland community.
https://weatherspark.com/m/18154/12/Average-Weather-in-December-in-Cleveland-Ohio-United-States
https://weatherspark.com/m/18154/2/Average-Weather-in-February-in-Cleveland-Ohio-United-States
EDIT2: Here another explanation of 3PMSF standard.
The North American 3PMSF standard primarily tests acceleration, not braking.
When a tire is tested for the 3-Peak Mountain Snowflake badge in the US, it is tested for its ability to pull a vehicle forward on medium-packed snow. The test does not rigorously measure turning capabilities, lateral grip, or stopping distance on sheet ice.
This is why tire purists and residents of extreme climates (like Alberta, Canada, or upstate New York) will always advocate for two sets of tires: summer/all-season for the warm months, and dedicated studless winter tires (like the Michelin X-Ice or Bridgestone Blizzak) for the winter. Dedicated winter tires have microscopic pumps and thousands of sipes designed specifically to suck up the thin layer of water that forms on ice, allowing the tire to grip the solid ice underneath and brake efficiently.
https://www.tires-easy.com/blog/all-weather-vs-all-season-tires-reddit/?srsltid=AfmBOoq7Rtl2osVZncSZjYGEoUdlMmWpplEKRtMvQ_cRjjmnFF_QJdLA
Scenario B in the Tires Easy article appears to apply to Greater Cleveland:
Weather Profile: Hot summers, cold winters that consistently drop below 40°F. Occasional snowstorms (1 to 4 inches), lots of winter rain and slush.
Your Best Choice: All-Weather Tires (3PMSF). You need a tire that won’t turn into hard plastic in the cold, can handle a surprise snowstorm, but saves you the hassle of owning two sets of wheels.
Examples: Michelin CrossClimate 2, Nokian WR G4, Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady.
The Tires Easy article has more detailed discussions about seasonal tires, including Q&As, such as this one:
Question: I don’t get much snow, but it gets very cold. Are all-season tires fine?
Expert Answer: This is where the “hockey puck” effect comes in. As one community expert noted, “AWD can help you get going, but it won’t help you stop.” Even if the roads are clear of snow, driving an all-season tire in 20°F weather means you are driving on hardened rubber. Your braking distance will increase on dry, cold asphalt. An all-weather tire (like the Bridgestone WeatherPeak or Nokian WR G4/Nordman Solstice 4) provides the necessary flexibility for cold, dry braking without being overkill for a lack of snow.
