Our race is carefully set at the beginning of a "weather window" that statistically features pretty good winds for getting across the Pacific and a low incidence, historically, of hurricanes.  

If there is one, it can be seen from a long way off, and we'll have plenty of warning, as they move only about 20 knots.  Our entrants are required to carry a good amount of gear designed to help them withstand severe weather.  The last time one came even close (it missed us) was the year 2016.

Refer first to the NOR and SI's.  In general, they are expected to say that you may get data that is freely available on the web, but may not be processed or selected, or annotated for you by somebody on land.  This means no weather router once the prep signal is up. You can use a paid weather service, but not if it's data customized to you. There will be more discussion to clarify this.

Lightning happens.  Good grounding and prudent driving can significantly reduce the risk of damage from lightning. Some sailors advise putting your VHF and GPS in the oven if lightning is close, to shield it from destruction.