I empathise entirely with that, friendo. Probably doesn't help that thunder is just a big loud noise and is only performatively scary. Hail is a genuine threat and you were right to be scared of that shit. I always go "guard mode" when the hail comes down. Watching it fiercely so I know when to get the fam under a mattress under a table.

Highway driving through rain so thick you can barely see the next car is also SUCH fun for me.

I don't like highway driving. I'm a white-knuckle driver at the best of times and heavy blatter is not that. The complete opposite of that, in fact. D'ruther avoid whenever possible. BUT still white-knuckle gritted-teeth cautiously make my way through it if there's no other option.