REdmonton, I think we'll all defer to your winter experience!
Myself, today I rode in the rain. Not much an experience for many of you, but for me, it's the first time I've made the 36 miles commute home in a steady rain. Somehow the 20% chance of predicted rain, having had no rain for a couple of weeks and nothing over 20% predicted for the next 10 days (Accweather thinks they can predict 25 days out!), turned into an area of rain about 150 miles in diameter. No matter, it was a chance for me to test the BILT rain pants, the only rain gear I have. I bought them, actually, for what passed for cold weather on the Gulf Coast, temps in the 40s. I'm glad I had them in the pannier.
Unfortunately, my Brosh Cook K jacket was no protection against the rain, and my River Road summer gloves turned my hands purple when they got wet. My ankle-high boots are soaked through. Funny thing is that I've been looking at raingear online and haven't bothered to order any.
At least now I have the experience of a 36 mile rainy commute, which somehow makes me feel like more of a motorcyclist. My main concern was the Avon tires with "classic" tread pattern, but I didn't feel any sliding. Still, when they wear out, I'm going to replace them with something more modern!