Tropical Cyclone Matmo Slammed Southern China Bringing Massive Relocations
Typhoon Matmo made landfall on the southern shores of China on Sunday afternoon, following its sweeping across the island province of Hainan. The severe weather forced the evacuation of around 350,000 residents, bringing heavy downpours and damaging winds, especially between Wuchuan in Guangdong and Wenchang in Hainan. Boat transport were halted and flights cancelled at the airport in Haikou.
Storm Details
Matmo, the 21st cyclone of the year, had sustained wind speeds of 151km/h and dumped more than 50mm of rainfall in a short period 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 the city, where commercial activities, transportation systems and roads were shut. In Hong Kong, 100 flights were affected and dozens called off.
Forecast and Movement
As the typhoon advances inward towards the provincial area in the neighboring country, it is expected to diminish into a less intense system with 89km/h winds but will continue to bring substantial precipitation. Northern Vietnam could experience 130-150mm on the following day, increasing the threat of flooding and landslides. The weather pattern is expected to move towards Yunnan province in China, where additional intense rain is likely.
Other Storm Systems
Meanwhile, a hurricane named Priscilla formed off the Pacific shoreline of Mexico on Saturday night, initially as a storm system. It prompted a weather alert for the southwestern areas from Punta San Telmo to Punta Mita on the start of the week.
In the morning of the next day, Priscilla was about 305 miles from a Mexican cape with sustained winds of 65mph. It intensified into a hurricane in the night, when wind speeds reached at 75mph.
Although unlikely to make landfall, the storm is likely to produce hazardous swells and strong currents as it tracks northwestward along the coast towards a Mexican state. Substantial rain is predicted on Monday, amounting to a considerable volume in specific Mexican states, with local totals at about 200mm. Colima and western Jalisco could receive 50-100mm.
Elsewhere, Cyclone Shakhti has formed as the first post-monsoon storm system of 2025 in the Arabian Sea, causing an alert from the India Meteorological Department for Maharashtra. On Sunday, Shakhti was 209 kilometers south-east of Ras al Hadd, Oman with peak wind speeds of 64mph.
Shakhti, which has moved in a southwestern direction and weakened, is forecast to turn eastward into the the sea. Turbulent waters are expected to persist along the Gujarat-North Maharashtra coast and intense rain is anticipated in coastal districts including Dwarka, Jamnagar and Surat.
