Tropical Cyclone Matmo Struck Coastal China Causing Widespread Relocations
The powerful storm struck the coast on the coastal regions of China on Sunday afternoon, following its sweeping across the island province of Hainan. The intense weather forced the evacuation of around 350,000 people, delivering torrential rain and destructive gusts, especially between Guangdong's Wuchuan and Wenchang in Hainan. Boat transport were halted and air travel disrupted at Haikou Meilan airport.
Storm Details
The typhoon, the 21st cyclone of 2025, had sustained wind speeds of 94mph and poured over 50mm of precipitation in six hours in Qinzhou and Chongzou. Urban areas of Nanning also received high rainfall totals.
Matmo triggered China's highest-level emergency warning, with disruptions in the city, where businesses, transport links and highways were shut. In Hong Kong, numerous air services were affected and 30 cancelled.
Forecast and Movement
As Matmo 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. Northern Vietnam could face 130-150mm on Monday, raising the threat of inundation and landslides. The weather pattern is expected to move towards Yunnan region in China, where additional heavy rainfall is probable.
Other Storm Systems
At the same time, Hurricane Priscilla developed off Mexico's Pacific coast on Saturday night, initially as a storm system. It led to a storm watch for south-western regions from a coastal point to another location on Monday.
In the morning of Sunday, Priscilla was about 491 kilometers from Cabo Corrientes with sustained winds of 105km/h. It strengthened into a severe cyclone in the night, when sustained winds reached at 121km/h.
Though not expected to make landfall, Priscilla is expected to generate hazardous swells and rip currents as it moves north-west along the coast towards Baja California Sur. Heavy rainfall is forecast on the coming day, reaching 100-150mm in Michoacán and western Guerrero, with local totals at about 20 centimeters. Other regions could face 50-100mm.
In other parts, a cyclone named 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 southeast of Ras al Hadd, Oman with maximum sustained winds of 103km/h.
The storm, which has moved in a southwestern direction and weakened, is forecast to recurve eastward into the the sea. Rough seas are likely to persist along the coastal stretch and heavy rainfall is expected in shoreline areas including specific Indian cities.
