I am actually quite frightened of lightning when it's close by

That sounds like great good sense to me MM!

Catching up on this thread this morning I was expecting to see some reference to St Elmo’s fire. This phenomenon was observed by sailors as glowing balls of fire attached to the tips of masts and yard arms and it gave rise to superstitions related to St Elmo (aka St Erasmus, patron saint of sailors). Unlike ball lightning it always remains attached to an object.

Here is a URL on St Elmo’s fire:

http://www.mysterylights.com/types/stelmo/

How about this description of lightning in bulk quantity:

The thick black cloud was cleft, and still
The moon was at its side:
Like waters shot from some high crag,
The lightning fell with never a jag,
A river steep and wide.