Typhoon Matmo Hit Southern China Bringing Widespread Relocations
Typhoon Matmo struck the coast on the coastal regions of China on Sunday afternoon, shortly after sweeping across the provincial island of Hainan. The intense weather led to the evacuation of approximately 350,000 residents, bringing torrential rain and damaging winds, especially between Guangdong's Wuchuan and Wenchang in Hainan. Boat transport were halted and air travel disrupted at the airport in Haikou.
Storm Details
Matmo, this year's 21st typhoon of 2025, had sustained wind speeds of 151km/h and poured more than 50mm of precipitation in six hours in Qinzhou and Chongzou. The city of Nanning also experienced significant rain amounts.
The storm triggered China's highest-level red alert, with disruptions in the city, where commercial activities, transport links and roads were closed. In Hong Kong, numerous air services were affected and dozens called off.
Forecast and Movement
As Matmo advances inward towards the provincial area 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 face 130-150mm on Monday, raising the risk of inundation and landslides. The system is anticipated to move towards Yunnan region in China, where additional intense rain is likely.
Other Storm Systems
At the same time, Hurricane Priscilla developed off the Pacific shoreline of Mexico on the weekend, initially as a tropical storm. It prompted a weather alert for the southwestern areas from Punta San Telmo to another location on Monday.
In the morning of the next day, Priscilla was about 491 kilometers from a Mexican cape with continuous gusts of 105km/h. It intensified into a severe cyclone in the night, when sustained winds peaked at 121km/h.
Though not expected to make landfall, Priscilla is expected to generate hazardous swells and rip currents as it moves northwestward along the coast towards a Mexican state. Heavy rainfall is forecast on Monday, amounting to a considerable volume in specific Mexican states, with some areas at about 200mm. Colima and western Jalisco could receive moderate to heavy rain.
In other parts, a cyclone named Shakhti has formed as the first post-monsoon storm system of the year in the Arabian Sea, causing an warning from the India Meteorological Department for an Indian state. On that day, the cyclone was 130 miles southeast of Ras al Hadd, Oman with maximum sustained winds of 103km/h.
The storm, which has moved in a southwestern direction and lost strength, is forecast to turn towards the east into the the sea. Turbulent waters are expected to persist along the coastal stretch and heavy rainfall is anticipated in shoreline areas including Dwarka, Jamnagar and Surat.