Typhoon Matmo Slammed Coastal China Causing Widespread Evacuations
The powerful storm made landfall on the coastal regions of China on Sunday afternoon, shortly after sweeping across the provincial island of Hainan. The severe weather forced the relocation of around 350,000 residents, delivering heavy downpours and damaging winds, particularly between Guangdong's Wuchuan and Wenchang in Hainan. Boat transport were halted and air travel disrupted at Haikou Meilan airport.
Storm Details
Matmo, this year's 21st cyclone of 2025, recorded wind speeds of 151km/h and poured more than 50mm of precipitation in six hours in Qinzhou and Chongzou. Urban areas of Nanning also received high rainfall totals.
The storm prompted China's top-tier emergency warning, with disruptions in the city, where businesses, transportation systems and highways were closed. In Hong Kong, 100 flights were impacted and 30 cancelled.
Future Projections
As the typhoon advances inward towards Cao Bang province in the neighboring country, it is projected to weaken into a less intense system with 89km/h winds but will continue to bring heavy rainfall. Vietnam's northern regions could face 130-150mm on the following day, increasing the risk of inundation and landslides. The system is expected to move towards Yunnan province in China, where further heavy rainfall is likely.
Other Storm Systems
Meanwhile, a hurricane named Priscilla formed off Mexico's Pacific coast on Saturday night, initially as a storm system. It prompted a storm watch for south-western regions from a coastal point to Punta Mita on Monday.
In the early hours of the next day, Priscilla was about 491 kilometers from a Mexican cape with continuous gusts of 105km/h. It strengthened into a severe cyclone in the evening, when wind speeds reached at 75mph.
Though not expected to hit the coast, Priscilla is likely to generate dangerous waves and rip currents as it moves north-west along the coast towards a Mexican state. Heavy rainfall is predicted on Monday, amounting to a considerable volume in specific Mexican states, with some areas at about 20 centimeters. Other regions could face moderate to heavy rain.
In other parts, Cyclone Shakhti has formed as the first post-monsoon cyclonic storm of the year in the a body of water, causing an alert from the India Meteorological Department for Maharashtra. On Sunday, Shakhti was 130 miles south-east of a location in Oman with peak wind speeds of 103km/h.
Shakhti, which has tracked in a southwestern direction and lost strength, is predicted to recurve towards the east into the the sea. Turbulent waters are expected to continue along the Gujarat-North Maharashtra coast and heavy rainfall is anticipated in coastal districts including Dwarka, Jamnagar and Surat.
