Temperatures are finally dropping, with our days and nights moving from “crisp” to “brisk,” and we all know where we go from there. The release of the first report by the state commission founded in the wake of last year’s historic winter storms, issued Tuesday, is well timed.

The Commission on Infrastructure Rebuilding and Resilience, formed back in May, is a 24-member expert board that has toured the parts of the state most vulnerable to severe winter storms and extreme weather, meeting with residents and establishing a clear and detailed picture of their recent experiences and growing concerns. 

The first report zeroes in on short-term rebuilding priorities and storm preparation. A second report, due next year, will outline a long-term plan for climate disaster. This plan will cover familiar flooding and storm damage, yes, but also the state’s increasing instances of drought and excessive heat.

One of the most resounding reflections from Mainers affected by last year’s brutal storms is “I should have left.”

Chief among the commission’s preliminary recommendations is enhanced emergency communication: that means more access to information for local officials and emergency managers, and more information, delivered more promptly, to the general public. By educating everybody to the very live, real risks of extreme weather, better decisions can be made and in better time. The baseline message issued by the commission last week, urging us all to think ahead, ask hard questions and prepare as much as possible, is part of that.