A vehicle includes a plurality of on-vehicle cameras, and a controller executes a method to evaluate a travel surface by capturing images for fields of view of the respective cameras. Corresponding regions of interest for the images are identified, wherein each of the regions of interest is associated with the portion of the field of view of the respective camera that includes the travel surface. Portions of the images are extracted, wherein each extracted portion is associated with the region of interest in the portion of the field of view of the respective camera that includes the travel surface and wherein one extracted portion of the respective image includes the sky. The extracted portions of the images are compiled into a composite image datafile, and an image analysis of the composite image datafile is executed to determine a travel surface state. The travel surface state is communicated to another controller.