Tropical Cyclone Matmo Struck Coastal China Causing Widespread Evacuations
Typhoon Matmo struck the coast on the southern shores of China on Sunday afternoon, shortly after sweeping across the island province of Hainan. The severe weather forced the relocation of approximately 350,000 residents, delivering heavy downpours and destructive gusts, particularly between Wuchuan in Guangdong and Hainan's Wenchang. Ferry services were halted and air travel disrupted at Haikou Meilan airport.
Storm Details
Matmo, the 21st typhoon of the year, recorded wind speeds of 151km/h and dumped more than 50mm of precipitation in a short period in Qinzhou and Chongzou. Urban areas of Nanning also experienced significant rain amounts.
The storm triggered China's highest-level red alert, with disruptions in the city, where commercial activities, transportation systems and highways were shut. In the special administrative region, 100 flights were impacted and dozens called off.
Future Projections
As Matmo moves inland towards Cao Bang province in the neighboring country, it is expected to weaken into a less intense system with 55mph winds but will persist to bring heavy rainfall. Northern Vietnam could experience significant rainfall on the following day, increasing the threat of flooding and landslides. The system is expected to move towards Yunnan region in China, where further heavy rainfall is likely.
Other Storm Systems
At the same time, a hurricane named Priscilla formed off Mexico's Pacific coast on Saturday night, first as a storm system. It led to a storm watch for south-western regions from Punta San Telmo to another location on Monday.
In the morning of the next day, the hurricane was about 305 miles from a Mexican cape with continuous gusts of 65mph. It strengthened into a severe cyclone in the night, when sustained winds peaked at 121km/h.
Although unlikely to hit the coast, Priscilla is likely to generate dangerous waves and rip currents as it moves north-west along the coast towards Baja California Sur. Substantial rain is forecast on Monday, reaching a considerable volume in specific Mexican states, with some areas at about 20 centimeters. Other regions could face 50-100mm.
In other parts, Cyclone Shakhti has formed as the first post-monsoon storm system of 2025 in the a body of water, causing an alert from the national weather agency for an Indian state. On that day, the cyclone was 130 miles south-east of a location in Oman with peak wind speeds of 64mph.
The storm, which has moved in a southwestern direction and weakened, is predicted to recurve eastward into the Arabian Sea. Turbulent waters are expected to persist along the coastal stretch and intense rain is anticipated in coastal districts including specific Indian cities.
