🔗 Share this article

The powerful storm made landfall on the coastal regions of China on the weekend, following its passage over the provincial island of Hainan. The intense weather forced the evacuation of around 350,000 people, bringing heavy downpours and damaging winds, particularly between Wuchuan in Guangdong and Wenchang in Hainan. Boat transport were suspended and air travel disrupted at Haikou Meilan airport.

Storm Details

The typhoon, this year's 21st typhoon of 2025, had sustained wind speeds of 94mph and poured more than 50mm of rainfall in six hours in Qinzhou and Chongzou. The city of Nanning also received significant rain amounts.

Matmo prompted China's highest-level emergency warning, with disruptions in Zhanjiang, where commercial activities, 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 projected to weaken into a less intense system with 55mph winds but will continue to bring heavy rainfall. Vietnam's northern regions could face significant rainfall on Monday, raising the risk of inundation and landslides. The system is expected to move towards Yunnan region in China, where additional heavy rainfall is likely.

Global Weather Events

Meanwhile, a hurricane named Priscilla developed off Mexico's Pacific coast on the weekend, initially as a storm system. It prompted a storm watch for south-western regions from Punta San Telmo to Punta Mita on the start of the week.

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 121km/h.

Though not expected to make landfall, Priscilla is likely to generate dangerous waves and rip currents as it moves north-west along the coast towards Baja California Sur. Heavy rainfall is forecast on Monday, reaching 100-150mm in specific Mexican states, with some areas at about 20 centimeters. Other regions could receive moderate to heavy rain.

In other parts, a cyclone named Shakhti has formed as the initial post-season cyclonic storm of the year in the Arabian Sea, prompting an alert from the national weather agency for an Indian state. On Sunday, the cyclone was 130 miles southeast of a location in Oman with peak wind speeds of 103km/h.

Shakhti, which has tracked in a southwestern direction and weakened, is predicted to turn eastward into the Arabian Sea. Rough seas are expected to persist along the Gujarat-North Maharashtra coast and heavy rainfall is expected in shoreline areas including Dwarka, Jamnagar and Surat.