The United States averages 93 thunderstorm and lightning deaths and 300 injuries per year. Every thunderstorm contains deadly lightning.
Lightning can travel six miles or more horizontally from the storm, then strike the ground.
You can't predict where within that large radius of danger the next lightning strike will occur. It doesn't take frequent lightning to kill you. These downburst winds are nature's equivalent of pointing a fire hose at the ground. The winds spreading out from the center of the downburst can blow down large trees, tear roofs off houses, cause motorists to lose control of their vehicles, and swamp boats. Downbursts are extremely dangerous to aviation.