From Statescoop– For decades, California honed its state preparedness, emergency services and innovations in technology to quickly and effectively respond to wildfires, the state’s most frequent natural disaster. But at the end of last year’s winter storm season, after a dozen atmospheric rivers had soaked all 58 counties, the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services and other state agencies realized they’d been underprepared. At a virtual storm safety briefing last week, with media professionals and officials from the Department of Insurance, CalOES and NOAA, officials said the 2023-24 rainy season in California will rival the intense winter rain seasons of decades pastincluding possible heavy snows early in the season with warmer rains later in the season, putting more than seven million Californians at risk of flooding.  (more)