The problem is that I frequently drive out of the mountains, and California at lower elevations is a heck of a lot warmer, even in January. I also do a lot of road trips. My impression is that you really don't want to be driving in warm weather with winter tires, so 3PMSF "all weather" tires seem like the sweet spot that accommodates the varying conditions I hit in a single trip, which can go from a few inches of fresh snow on the highway and 25° F to 65° F across two hours of driving.
My current vehicle is fitted with Michelin CrossClimate 2s, and they've performed well for me.