Winter tire shortage looms as storms roll into Colorado

If you're considering swapping out your tires for something that can handle the snow on the way, tire stores in Colorado are saying sooner is better than later this year.  Utopia Tire in Frisco has been ramping up its stock on winter tires for the demand that comes each fall for months.  

"We have been preparing for this since March," general manager Tim Paich said. "We started ordering our winter tires in March of last year because there is going to be a winter tire shortage this year."

Paich said ordering tires has become a struggle simply because Russia was the main exporter of the good, and since the invasion of Ukraine and the sanctions the U.S. has put on Russia, the supply of winter tires has drastically dwindled. 

"All the producers of tires have shut down the factories (in Russia) and that means there is literally winter production that will not be replaced for years," Paich said. "Last year, there was pre-existing inventory, so we got through it OK, but this is why we were buying tires in March, April, May, trying to make sure that we can take care of our customers."

Meteorologists in the First Alert Weather Center are expecting the first winter blast of snow to hit the high country on Thursday, according to current forecasts, and the tire shop has already seen people stopping by to make sure they'll be covered on roads like Interstate 70.

While the story is a little different for those on Colorado's Front Range, for Summit County, Paich said this needs to happen quickly. 

"If you are living up here, I would at least make a commitment to get tires. When you put them on is whenever you are comfortable, but I would get some money and put it down and get some tires secured," Paich warned. "I'll tell you, by the time we hit Thanksgiving, there is not going to be a lot of tires left."