The 2007 hurricane season began on June 1, but the Atlantic has already experienced its first named storms.

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. ran their first ever Hurricane Awareness Week in May.

"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. 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.