Households in 20 UK areas told not to use landlines until after 10pm

2 months ago 97

Severe weather warnings have been issued by the Met Office for parts of the UK.

11:19, Tue, Aug 4, 2026 Updated: 11:19, Tue, Aug 4, 2026

Landline phone

Telephone lines can conduct electricity so landlines should be avoided during a thunderstorm (Image: Getty)

Households in 20 areas of the UK are being told not to use landlines until after 10pm this evening as thunderstorms and heavy showers are forecast.

The Met Office has issued two separate yellow weather warnings for thunderstorms on Tuesday, August 4, for parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland, with the weather expected to cause disruption this afternoon and evening. In Scotland, the warning is in force from 12pm noon until 10pm this evening, with the Met Office forecasting heavy downpours of 15 to 20mm in one hour, while up to 40mm of rainfall could accumulate in a three hour period. The forecaster said the thundery showers may be accompanied by hail and lightning, with the storm expected to continue into the evening.

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In Northern Ireland, the warning came into effect at 9.15am and will remain in force until 9pm this evening, with heavy showers expected to bring up to 30mm of rain, while strong winds and hail is also possible.

Households in the affected warning areas are being warned to prepare for potential flooding, power cuts, train and bus delays, and flooded roads that could leave some communities cut off.

To stay safe during the thunderstorm, households are urged to avoid using landline phones until the storm has passed, unless it is an emergency.

This is because telephone lines can conduct electricity so if lightning strikes near those phone lines, a high-voltage electrical current can travel straight through the wires and into the handset, causing an electric shock.

Similarly, households should avoid using mobile phones while they are plugged into a wall to charge, as power surges can travel through the electrical charger. As such, any non-essential applicants should be unplugged before a thunderstorm.

Wireless devices, like unplugged mobile phones or cordless landline phones, are safe to use indoors as these don’t have a physical connection to outdoor metal wires.

In its advice on staying safe during a thunderstorm, the Met Office said: “Lightning can cause power surges, unplug any non-essential appliances if not already using a surge protector.

“Seek shelter if possible, however, keep away from underground or low-lying spaces such as car parks, basements or underpasses which might flood rapidly.

“When you hear thunder you are already within range of where the next ground flash may occur, lightning can strike as far as 10 miles away from the centre of a storm. During the thunderstorm, telephone lines can conduct electricity so try to avoid using the landline, unless in an emergency.”

Households are also urged to unplug other non-essential electronic devices during a thunderstorm, including TVs, gaming consoles, desktop computers, WiFi routers, and laptops that are plugged into chargers, among others.

British Red Cross advice on staying safe in thunder and lightning states: “You should turn off and unplug any non-essential appliances during a thunderstorm to prevent them from being damaged by a power surge. That includes the internet or any plugged-in electrical devices.

“You’ll have to wait until the storm has passed before it’s safe to watch TV, but you can still use a tablet or laptop if they’re not plugged into the main power supply. You should also avoid using landline telephones that plug into the wall, but mobile telephones are safe.”

Listed are the 20 UK areas covered by a yellow warning for thunderstorms on Tuesday, August 4: