Tropical Cyclone Matmo Hit Southern China Causing Widespread Evacuations
The powerful storm made landfall on the southern shores of China on the weekend, shortly after passage over the provincial island of Hainan. The severe weather forced the relocation of approximately 350,000 people, bringing torrential rain and destructive gusts, especially between Wuchuan in Guangdong and Wenchang in Hainan. Boat transport were halted and flights cancelled at the airport in Haikou.
Typhoon Statistics
The typhoon, the 21st cyclone of 2025, had sustained wind speeds of 151km/h and poured more than 50mm of rainfall in six hours in Qinzhou and Chongzou. Urban areas of the region also experienced significant rain amounts.
The storm triggered China's top-tier red alert, with disruptions in the city, where commercial activities, transport links and highways were closed. In the special administrative region, numerous air services were impacted and 30 cancelled.
Forecast and Movement
As Matmo advances inward towards the provincial area in the neighboring country, it is expected to diminish into a tropical depression with 55mph winds but will persist to bring substantial precipitation. Vietnam's northern regions could experience significant rainfall on Monday, increasing the risk of flooding and landslides. The weather pattern is anticipated to move towards Yunnan province in China, where further heavy rainfall is likely.
Global Weather Events
Meanwhile, Hurricane Priscilla developed off Mexico's Pacific coast on Saturday night, first as a tropical storm. It led to a weather alert for south-western regions from Punta San Telmo to Punta Mita on Monday.
In the early hours of the next day, Priscilla was about 491 kilometers from Cabo Corrientes with continuous gusts of 65mph. It strengthened into a severe cyclone in the evening, when wind speeds peaked at 121km/h.
Although unlikely to hit the coast, the storm is expected to produce hazardous swells and strong currents as it moves north-west along the coast towards Baja California Sur. Heavy rainfall is predicted on the coming day, reaching 100-150mm in specific Mexican states, with local totals at about 200mm. Colima and western Jalisco could receive moderate to heavy rain.
Elsewhere, a cyclone named Shakhti has formed as the initial post-season cyclonic storm of 2025 in the Arabian Sea, prompting an alert from the national weather agency for an Indian state. On that day, the cyclone was 130 miles southeast of a location in Oman with peak wind speeds of 103km/h.
Shakhti, which has tracked south-westward and weakened, is predicted to recurve towards the east into the the sea. Rough seas are likely to persist along the Gujarat-North Maharashtra coast and intense rain is anticipated in coastal districts including specific Indian cities.
