The 2007 hurricane season begins on June 1, but the Atlantic has already experienced its first named storm, with sub-Tropical Storm Andrea forming off Florida last week.

With forecasters predicting an above average hurricane season after a quiet 2006 and a record-setting 2005, the Bermuda Weather Service and BAS-Serco Ltd. are running their first ever Hurricane Awareness Week this week.

“This is an effort to promote preparedness in advance of the 2007 Atlantic Hurricane Season. There has been a recent upswing in Atlantic tropical cyclone activity, and an apparent erratic variability from year to year in the number of storms,” the Weather Service said.

“Terms such as Global Warming and El Ni|0xf1|o have become commonplace in media articles discussing hurricane activity. These factors, along with the direct hits on Bermuda in recent years, have increased public concern about hurricane impacts on such a small, isolated target.

Two lectures about hurricanes will be given by our local expert Dr. Mark Guishard, Director of the Bermuda Weather Service. These lectures are given free of charge, and are open to the public: 2007 Hurricane Season BriefingTuesday May 15, 2007 at 6.30 p.m.

Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute

Another busy period is forecast for the upcoming Atlantic Hurricane Season — how will this affect Bermuda? Can we retain confidence in the seasonal forecasts, despite last year’s failure to identify the lower-than-average activity in the Atlantic? Come to the briefing and find out what to expect for the upcoming season, including the influences affecting the frequency, intensity and track of tropical cyclones. Five Things You Never Knew About HurricanesWednesday May 16, 2007 at 6.30 p.m.

Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute

There are huge advances currently being made in the sciences of meteorology and climatology. Vigorous scientific debate is raging on the issues of climate change and hurricane activity, the results of which may sometimes be confused by media spin, political agenda and simple miscommunication. Come and find out some of the issues surrounding the current state of hurricane science and policy from a global, regional and local perspective.

In this special supplement, we provide guides to hurricane preparedness, a look at how the Weather Service monitors storms using its cutting edge Doppler Radar, advice on house insurance and a question and answer session with a local scientist who is leading research possible links between global warming and the increased frequency and intensity of hurricanes.