Of far greater concern here, I think you'd agree, is the power of convective columns within the thunderstorm cell(s) and the possibility of low to poor radar returns from same. Like most who do/did this work, I've seen it once or twice and been surprised at the violence of "what wasn't supposed to be there according to the radar"
Given the considerable advances in ground-based weather radar over the past decade, one wonders whether this technology has been somewhat neglected by a/c manufacturers/operators? Also, there must be other technologies out there which could significantly enhance the detection of CBs (LIDAR, optical systems etc). Lightning can be detected at considerable ranges using very straightforward RF detection equipment.