Tropical Cyclone Matmo Hit Southern China Bringing Widespread Evacuations
The powerful storm made landfall on the southern shores of China on the weekend, shortly after sweeping across the island province of Hainan. The intense weather led to the evacuation of approximately 350,000 residents, delivering torrential rain and damaging winds, especially between Wuchuan in Guangdong and Wenchang in Hainan. Ferry services were suspended and flights cancelled at the airport in Haikou.
Typhoon Statistics
Matmo, this year's 21st cyclone of the year, recorded wind speeds of 94mph and dumped more than 50mm of precipitation in a short period in Qinzhou and Chongzou. Urban areas of Nanning also experienced high rainfall totals.
The storm prompted China's top-tier red alert, with disturbances in Zhanjiang, where businesses, transport links and roads were shut. In Hong Kong, numerous air services were impacted and 30 cancelled.
Future Projections
As Matmo advances inward towards the provincial area in the neighboring country, it is expected to weaken into a tropical depression with 55mph winds but will continue to bring substantial precipitation. Northern Vietnam could experience significant rainfall on the following day, increasing the threat of inundation and mudslides. The weather pattern is expected to move towards Yunnan province in China, where additional intense rain is probable.
Other Storm Systems
Meanwhile, Hurricane Priscilla developed off the Pacific shoreline of Mexico on the weekend, first as a storm system. It prompted a weather alert for the southwestern areas from a coastal point to Punta Mita on the start of the week.
In the early hours of Sunday, the hurricane was about 305 miles from a Mexican cape with sustained winds of 105km/h. It strengthened into a severe cyclone in the evening, when sustained winds peaked at 75mph.
Though not expected to hit the coast, Priscilla is expected to produce dangerous waves and strong currents as it moves northwestward along the coast towards Baja California Sur. Heavy rainfall is predicted on the coming day, amounting to a considerable volume in Michoacán and western Guerrero, with local totals at about 200mm. Colima and western Jalisco could face 50-100mm.
In other parts, Cyclone Shakhti has formed as the first post-monsoon storm system of 2025 in the Arabian Sea, causing an warning from the national weather agency for an Indian state. On that day, Shakhti was 209 kilometers south-east of Ras al Hadd, Oman with maximum sustained winds of 64mph.
Shakhti, which has tracked in a southwestern direction and lost strength, is predicted to recurve towards the east into the Arabian Sea. Rough seas are expected to continue along the coastal stretch and intense rain is anticipated in shoreline areas including Dwarka, Jamnagar and Surat.