When you're feeling brave you can get an extra 30-40 knots on the bowwave off the bottom of a tropical CB....just like surfing
Just don;t let the lightning scare you!
Seriously though - just look at the way the storm has formed and thing what the wind is doing. Watch the virga, watch the wind effects on the ground. That will tell you how far to stay away from it. Sometimes you have no choice but to get bloody close!
CS