🔗 Share this article

The powerful storm struck the coast on the southern shores of China on the weekend, following its sweeping across the provincial island of Hainan. The intense weather forced the evacuation of around 350,000 people, bringing heavy downpours and destructive gusts, especially between Wuchuan in Guangdong and Hainan's Wenchang. Boat transport were suspended and air travel disrupted at the airport in Haikou.

Storm Details

Matmo, this year's 21st cyclone of the year, had sustained wind speeds of 151km/h and dumped more than 50mm of precipitation in six hours in Qinzhou and Chongzou. The city of the region also received significant rain amounts.

Matmo prompted China's top-tier emergency warning, with disturbances in Zhanjiang, where businesses, transportation systems and roads were closed. In the special administrative region, 100 flights were affected and dozens called off.

Forecast and Movement

As the typhoon advances inward towards the provincial area in Vietnam, it is projected to weaken into a tropical depression with 55mph winds but will continue to bring substantial precipitation. Vietnam's northern regions could experience 130-150mm on the following day, increasing the risk of flooding and mudslides. The weather pattern is expected to move towards Yunnan region in China, where additional heavy rainfall is probable.

Global Weather Events

At the same time, Hurricane Priscilla formed off the Pacific shoreline of Mexico on the weekend, first as a storm system. It led to a storm watch for south-western regions from a coastal point to Punta Mita on the start of the week.

In the early hours of the next day, the hurricane was about 305 miles from Cabo Corrientes with continuous gusts of 65mph. It strengthened into a hurricane in the evening, when wind speeds peaked at 121km/h.

Although unlikely to make landfall, Priscilla is likely to generate hazardous swells and strong currents as it tracks northwestward along the coast towards Baja California Sur. Substantial rain is predicted on the coming day, reaching 100-150mm in Michoacán and western Guerrero, with local totals at about 200mm. Colima and western Jalisco could face 50-100mm.

Elsewhere, a cyclone named Shakhti has formed as the initial post-season cyclonic storm of 2025 in the Arabian Sea, causing an alert from the national weather agency for an Indian state. On Sunday, the cyclone was 209 kilometers southeast of Ras al Hadd, Oman with peak wind speeds of 64mph.

Shakhti, which has moved in a southwestern direction and lost strength, is predicted to turn towards the east into the Arabian Sea. Turbulent waters are likely to persist along the coastal stretch and heavy rainfall is expected in coastal districts including Dwarka, Jamnagar and Surat.