Well we got 6" of HEAVY slushy snow today out of nowhere. It took out tree limbs, power lines, and left cars stuck everywhere getting in their driveways. It looks like a warzone with all the tree branches all over the place on my street. I'll have to get some pics.
I was not expecting to have to be prepared quite so early. I didn't even have a snow brush in the car or even a winter jacket for that matter.
The car had about 5 inches thick of very very heavy wet snow on it,all around it, when I got out of work @4. And it was still snowing about 1" per hour, pretty heavy. It actually looked like it was lowered a few inches from all the weight. I had to brush off all the snow with my shirt sleeve, and I mean all of it, roof and all. After about 10 minutes I got it all off and I was soaked. Snow now piled all around the car I got in it, to find all the windows completely condensed to the pont where droplets had formed on the inside of the windshield, and all the rest of the windows fogged completely. Typical for any and every car due to the asmospheric conditions. I did what I've found works best, full front defrost and a/c. As I sat in the car for the 10 minutes it took to see out of the front window, the car was now again completely coveded except some of the fogged rear window and the clear windshield. Suffice to say, it was about the worst I'd ever seen, ecpecially in October. It was thundersnowing, an that's only happened one other time I can remember.
As I sat there waiting to be able to see out the windows, I remember thinking about the potenzas, and wondering if I was even going to get out of my spot since all the snow that was on the car was now all around it. I still couldn't see very well, but I ordered reverse and let out the clutch. To my surprise not only did the car get out of the spot, it trenched through the 5" of slush on the ground witout setting a wheel out of place. I could now finally feel the awd as I progressed through our large parking lot. When I got to the road, something made me turn back 180degrees, I wanted to feel the car doing more of it's trickery before I went onto the street. I drove it slow at first, then ramped up the speeds a little more to feel the dsc and tcs do it's thing. I played for quite a while with the dsc on. Then I switched it off and drove it more, all the time in a big parking lot with 5" of heavy slushy snow. It was sweet, I felt oversteer, I felt understeer. I pulled away hard, I pulled away slow. Not beating on the car entirely, Just drifting it around with the wheels spinning enough to get off track a little bit, finding and exploring the limit.
Anyways I though the tires were alright, on ice or hard pack though I cannot comment. I was glad the tires did so well, I was confident with the pace of traffic and even a little faster. Kept up with all the 4wd trucks flexing their snow horsepower.
One red light I pull up to, and the suv kid must have been excited to see a sport sedan pull up next to him because as soon as I pulled up he starts inching forward and looking over. He almost jumped the light a few times so I could tell he was itching to get off the light first and take right off. He took off and I did behind him, the dsc started doing it's thing, and I kept up right behind him. Well the next light was also red, so we stop. He actually rolled down his window and he says "dude what kind of snow tires are those". I just said "bridgestone", as my left turn light turned green, and sped off kind of fast with the dsc off so he could see the front and rear wheels spinning.
I thought it was ironic that I got a comment on snow tires that I didn't even have, and had been discussing the tires all week on this forum.
Still though like I said on hard pack snow it's probably going to be a different story. And don;t even think of braking like you would with some all seasons or winter tires. If you get into the abs, it can be scary. Just remember if you do have an abs situation, PRESS THE BRAKE HARDER, and you will stop quicker.
....DSC OFF hehe. 
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