I grew up in the L.A. basin, also, and they just don't get dramatic lightning there.
I took a job running a dive shop in Tucson and boy howdy do they get it. Not unlike the photos here. And pretty much every evening in the summer.
But the most awesome lightning storm I ever saw was down in Guaymas, Mexico. It was a chubasco over the Sea of Cortez. The lightning was so continuous you could read a book by it.
Ventura.. Winter 0f 76/77 Saw one
Cannot remember the date