Thunderstorms are largely a matter of energy (heat) and atmospheric instability.
If you have heat and humidity and the atmosphere cools rapidly enough as you rise in altitude you get thunderstorms.
Look at Florida, lots of water, add sunshine and we get thunderstorms.
With you on the west coast there is the factor of the colder water in the ocean that will tend to deprive the energy needed to make big storms.
In any case, take lightning seriously!
If you can hear thunder, or see the lightning bolt then you are at risk. Take shelter in a strong building awas from pipes and wires and stay off of the phone.
I was hit by a lightning strike that came in the phone line and I only got a tiny bit of it and it really messed me up.
