i know people talk about liking thin tired winter bikes at some points, but what points are those?
When i say thin tired im thinking 700x38-48

I've always ridden around 26x2.0 in the winters but im just curious when other stuff is better.

The difference between 2 inches and 48mm isn't much.

I prefer a tire 35mm or less. But my winter tires are 700c x 40mm... about 1.6 inches.

From my experience ,both thin and fat tires have their uses for winter commuting. It all depends how much snow and what type of snow you are riding through. Both thin and fat tires will have their advantages and disadvantages. The best thing to do is to try out and test different types of tires under different conditions and see how each tire performs. Some people can get through the winter on 28mm tires and others are
riding 3 inch tires, to each his own. I ride both fat and thin, but if I only had to have one size I would choose something around 38-40 mm.

i like running running the widest tire i have on my winter bike. in the summer i like thin tires as long as i don't plan on hitting any mud puddles but in the winter time i find it kind of feel like your going though mud most of the time because i can usually spinning my 26x2.3's fairly easily.

summer

Ditto. I prefer thin tires on my road bike on smooth paved highways. Other than that, in most all other conditions, give me a wider tire.

Slush is where it becomes a problem for me with "thin" tires, and with MN this year having a record year of snow there is a lot of slush. So having a bike with 26x2.0 helps with stability in these areas.

I've never had a problem with 1.9" tires floating on slush.

I've tried studded tires from 2" wide down to the 30 mm A10s (officially 32 mm). The advantage of a thin tire is that it will cut through snow and slush more readily than a wider tire. This can be both good and bad. The firmer the snow or slush, the less desirable this is. A wider tire will float easier and gives a better ride on rough and uneven surfaces. Thinner tires will typically slow you down less when conditions allow you to move at a quicker pace.

Though you put it in the "thin" range, I consider 40 mm to be about medium width and the w240s at 40 mm for me represent the best compromise, -though different tires will be better in different conditions.

I ride 35mm CX tires, and have found that they are good all-around for my location (Madison WI). Fluffy snow and watery slush especially are better with narrower tires (they cut through to the road). Car-packed snow is better with wide tires (you keep "breaking through the hardpack, but not consistently with narrower tires). Ultimately, each tire is a compromise for the range of conditions you encounter; which one is the best compromise for you depends on your riding conditions.

Thin tires are nice for cutting through a few inches of fresh snow that has fallen on previously cleaned pavement... I imagine a wider tire would be more work to push through the snow, but I haven't ridden anything over 38mm in years.

what about in freezing rain situations? A thinner studded tire (eg. 40mm) for instance would have more pressure on the studs i imagine... i dont know that that would translate to better traction though.

We had freezing rain today so i was wondering... i was fine on my 26x2.0 but took it slow

I think it is more of a function of contact patch, rather than ground pressure.

The metal studs make a small pit in the ice when it comes in contact with the ice, and the larger the contact patch there is, the more studs and rubber than can make contact with the road surface, which gives you better grip.

Besides, freezing rain is rain that freezes with anything it comes in contact with, as long as it is not on the road. There's a lot to be said about the efficiency of our hydrocarbon use inside cities, because it is always a few degrees warmer inside cities due to the amount of cars and homes giving off heat.

I ride 1.25 slicks all year.