Here in the PNW, it's possible to ride through most of the winter; there's little snow to worry about, and the ground tends to dry pretty quickly in most places.
Compared to sunny summer conditions, having the right kit makes all the difference, and of all the winter upgrades for your bike, good tires will probably be the most noticeable.
An ideal wet season tire will trade low-rolling resistance for high-grip, light weight for better sidewall strength, and nimble cornering for braking traction.
WTB make a fantastic winter tire combo that can also be used later into the spring and summer seasons too (compared to a purely wet-weather tire which will be too slow for good-condition riding).
I got to try out WTB's Judge and Verdict on some of my local steep and slippery trails to see how they held up. The result? I think I found my new favorite winter tire combo!