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Typhoon Matmo struck the coast on the southern shores of China on Sunday afternoon, shortly after passage over the provincial island of Hainan. The intense weather led to the relocation of around 350,000 people, delivering torrential rain and damaging winds, particularly between Wuchuan in Guangdong and Hainan's Wenchang. Ferry services were suspended and air travel disrupted at the airport in Haikou.

Typhoon Statistics

Matmo, the 21st typhoon of the year, had sustained wind speeds of 94mph and dumped over 50mm of precipitation in a short period in Chongzou and Qinzhou. The city of Nanning also received high rainfall totals.

Matmo prompted China's highest-level emergency warning, with disturbances in the city, where businesses, transportation systems and highways were shut. In the special administrative region, numerous air services were impacted and dozens called off.

Forecast and Movement

As Matmo moves inland towards the provincial area in the neighboring country, it is projected to diminish into a tropical depression with 89km/h winds but will persist to bring substantial precipitation. Vietnam's northern regions could face significant rainfall on the following day, increasing the threat of flooding and mudslides. The weather pattern is anticipated to move towards Yunnan region in China, where additional intense rain is likely.

Other Storm Systems

At the same time, a hurricane named Priscilla formed off the Pacific shoreline of Mexico on Saturday night, initially as a tropical storm. It led to a weather alert for the southwestern areas from a coastal point to another location on Monday.

In the morning of the next day, the hurricane was about 491 kilometers from Cabo Corrientes with sustained winds of 105km/h. It strengthened into a severe cyclone in the evening, when wind speeds reached at 75mph.

Though not expected to make landfall, Priscilla is likely to produce dangerous waves and rip currents as it tracks north-west along the coast towards Baja California Sur. Substantial rain is forecast on Monday, amounting to 100-150mm in Michoacán and western Guerrero, with local totals at about 20 centimeters. Colima and western Jalisco could face moderate to heavy rain.

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 an Indian state. On Sunday, Shakhti was 209 kilometers south-east of a location in Oman with peak wind speeds of 64mph.

The storm, which has tracked south-westward and weakened, is predicted to turn eastward into the the sea. Rough seas are likely to continue along the coastal stretch and heavy rainfall is expected in shoreline areas including Dwarka, Jamnagar and Surat.