If no appropriate query timeout is configured, inefficient or runaway queries can execute for extended periods (up to the default 2-day system limit). For as long as the query is running, the warehouse will remain active and accrue costs. Proper timeout settings help terminate inefficient queries, free up compute capacity, and allow the warehouse to become idle sooner, making it eligible for auto-suspend once the inactivity timer is reached.
Snowflake charges warehouses based on active runtime, when a query is running. A long-running query continues to keep the warehouse active, incurring credit consumption for every second until it finishes or is manually canceled.
Configure a conservative account-level query timeout policy to limit maximum query execution times (e.g., 4–12 hours based on environment needs). Apply customized warehouse-level or user-level timeout policies for workloads that genuinely require longer execution windows. Regularly review and adjust query timeout settings as workload patterns evolve. Coordinate changes with data engineering teams to avoid unintended interruption of legitimate long-running jobs. Setup anomaly detection on long running queries
