THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY Coordination Group is set to convene tomorrow morning as Ireland braces itself for further bad weather with Storm Jorge on the way.

After a period of bad weather throughout February, the month is set to end under a further storm. 

A Status Orange wind warning is set to come into effect for seven counties along the western seaboard tomorrow with Status Yellow warnings in place for the rest of the country.

Met Éireann said that wind speeds could be even greater in higher or exposed areas with “an elevated risk of coastal flooding”.

With many areas in the midlands badly hit by flooding, there is a risk that floods will worsen rather than recede with more rain forecast.

In a statement, the Department of Housing said: “Given the prolonged period of very wet weather, the flooding that has already occurred and the potential impact of Storm “Jorge”, due to hit Ireland this weekend, the NDFEM has decided to convene a meeting of the National Emergency Coordination Group (NECG) tomorrow morning in the National Emergency Coordination Centre, Agriculture (NECC).”

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Over the past few weeks, officials from the department have met daily with the likes of Met Éireann, Office of Public Works, local authorities and other critical agencies.

The department added further advisories would be issued once the group meets tomorrow.

In its advisory issued this evening, Met Éireann said: “Storm Jorge is forecast to bring severe winds to western and northwestern coastal counties (orange wind warning) and less severe winds to the rest of the country (yellow wind warning) from Saturday morning into early Sunday morning.

Spells of heavy rain associated with Storm Jorge will worsen the flooding situation across the country. A yellow level rainfall warning will come into operation for Munster, Connacht and Donegal from tonight (Thursday night) to late on Saturday evening.