can you get electrocuted while talking on your house phone while its thundering and lightening outside.?

Yes you can

From the National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL)

http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/primer/lightning/ltg_faq....

Are phones safe to use in a thunderstorm?

You will reduce your risk of injury from by not using any phone during a thunderstorm. However, cordless phones and cell phones are safer than corded models – as long as you are standing well away from the base. The main thing is to avoid coming into contact with wiring or plumbing, but there are a few reports of people being injured inside their home while not touching anything but the chair in which they were sitting.

LIGHTNING / THUNDERSTORM SAFETY

http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/edu/safety/lightning.html

http://www.disastercenter.com/guide/thunder.html

http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/more.htm

http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/overview.htm

http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/

http://www.lightningsafety.com/

http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/survivors.htm

http://science.nasa.gov/newhome/headlines/essd18ju...

http://www.lightningtalks.com/lightningfacts.htm#L...

http://sky-fire.tv/index.cgi/lightning.html#harnes...

http://www.washtwpmorris.org/departments/recreatio...

http://library.thinkquest.org/03oct/00758/en/disas...

www.nols.edu/resources/research/pdfs/lightningsafetyguideline.pdf

LIGHTNING FAQ's

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/srh/jetstream/lightning/li...

http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/primer/lightning/ltg_faq....

http://newweb.wrh.noaa.gov/hnx/LightningMyths-1.pd...

http://library.thinkquest.org/03oct/00758/en/disas...

http://www.ucar.edu/communications/infopack/lightn...

http://www.srh.weather.gov/srh/jetstream/lightning...

http://www.lightningmaster.com/FAQ.htm

http://www.ourbetternature.org/lightning2.htm

http://www.harkphoto.com/light.html

http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/survivors.htm

1

No. You can be electrocuted when talking on an old fashioned land line(one that has a cord that goes from the receiver to the base to the wall) if your house is struck. You can also be electrocuted if you are taking a bath in a porcelain tub during a lightning storm. Strange, huh?

Talking Cordless Phone

The risk is remote, but it's still a possibility. I've never heard about anybody getting electrocuted from talking on the phone during an electrical storm. However, in my phone book it states that there is a risk.As a result, you shouldn't talk on the phone during a thunderstorm unless there's an emergency.By the way, cell phones and cordless phones are safe to use during an electrical storm.It's phones attached to the wall and receiver which pose a slight risk.

Yes...one time during a really bad thundering and lightning storm, my friend and I were chatting on the phone. We had just talked about the fact that we should get off the phone just in case it attracted lightning. At the moment, the phone line started crackling real loud to where I had to remove it from my ear and then a bolt of electricity shot through the phone line throwing the receiver out of my hand and into the air then landed the floor all awhile knocking me backwards and I ended up slamming into the wall.

Strange thing is...I talked to my friend after the storm had passed and she said the same thing happened to her except she didn't get thrown up against the wall as she managed to stay standing.

On average, one person each year is indeed electrocuted (killed) by lightning while talking on the phone. Cell phones and cordless phones are completely safe' only wired phones are a concern.

I've put a link to what my favorite Urban Legends web site has to say about being electrocuted while on the telephone. It has reliable, well-researched information about most urban legends, and is a great place to go to confirm or deny odd stories that float around the internet.

Great question.

The potential is much greater for electrocution as the lightning can strike the phone line and find the quickest path.

if its a corded phone i think so, but cordless i dont think so, but i could be wrong lol. I know that back when we had dial up I was on my old laptop (I was also 6months pregnant) and I had it in my lap & lightning struck right behind our house (it was loud) and it came through the phone line and shocked my computer (& me!). When it shocked me I actually threw my computer onto the floor lol. all of our fire alarms started going off, my computer was smoking a little bit. Needless to say my computer didn't work anymore, lol!

yes, it is possible.

It requires the user to be holding a phone with a cord and lightning to strike a telephone line.

Ive seen it damage computer equipment this way. As for killing someone, im not sure, but you can get a nasty shock if X and Y happen.