Albertans are debating how long to warm up vehicles during extreme cold snaps

Extreme cold may be blanketing Alberta right now, and with it comes that extra time needed to warm up cars before driving off — something one Reddit user in Edmonton was curious about.

In a Reddit thread, user StupidThoughtsIGot asked people how long they warm their car in the morning and what their process is.

The post garnered hundreds of comments, with people offering plenty of insight and humour in some cases.

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“Keep the block heater plugged in overnight. Start my car, clear my windows, and go. Driving warms it up faster. Usually pretty slow moving until I get out of my neighbourhood,” wrote one user, while another chimed in, saying, “Remote start and 10-15 mins on these cold days. Not sure why you need to warm it longer than 15 minutes.”

Those with an app to start their vehicle or heated underground parking have it good, while another user said, “How considerate of you to assume I leave the house on time and have an opportunity to warm up the car. I am king of the ice scraper people.”

One user also questioned why no one was speaking about what they do to look after themselves before getting blasted by the cold air outside, saying, “Why is no one doing [the] run in place for a minute to warm up their bodies before going out to the car.”

For those hoping a massive warmup is in the cards for Alberta, Environment and Climate Change Canada says that, unfortunately, is not the case.

There will be a slight improvement in the temperature forecast for early next week, but certainty is low, and below-normal temperatures are likely to continue through the week.

If this is your first cold snap as an Albertan, we’ve also rounded up some useful tips to survive and thrive. Stay warm out there!