Tropical Cyclone Matmo Struck Southern China Bringing Massive Relocations
The powerful storm made landfall on the southern shores of China on Sunday afternoon, following its sweeping across the island province of Hainan. The severe weather led to the relocation of around 350,000 people, delivering heavy downpours and damaging winds, especially between Wuchuan in Guangdong and Wenchang in Hainan. Ferry services were suspended and flights cancelled at Haikou Meilan airport.
Storm Details
Matmo, the 21st typhoon of 2025, recorded wind speeds of 151km/h and poured more than 50mm of precipitation in six hours in Qinzhou and Chongzou. The city of the region also received significant rain amounts.
The storm prompted China's highest-level emergency warning, with disturbances in the city, where commercial activities, transport links and highways were closed. In the special administrative region, numerous air services were impacted and dozens called off.
Forecast and Movement
As the typhoon moves inland towards the provincial area in Vietnam, it is expected to weaken into a less intense system with 55mph winds but will persist to bring heavy rainfall. Northern Vietnam could face significant rainfall on the following day, increasing the risk of inundation and landslides. The system is anticipated to move towards Yunnan province in China, where further intense rain is probable.
Global Weather Events
Meanwhile, Hurricane Priscilla formed off Mexico's Pacific coast on the weekend, initially as a tropical storm. It led to a weather alert for the southwestern areas from a coastal point to Punta Mita on the start of the week.
In the morning of Sunday, Priscilla was about 491 kilometers from a Mexican cape with sustained winds of 105km/h. It strengthened into a severe cyclone in the night, when wind speeds peaked at 121km/h.
Although unlikely to make landfall, the storm is expected to generate dangerous waves and strong currents as it tracks northwestward along the coast towards Baja California Sur. Heavy rainfall is predicted on Monday, amounting to a considerable volume in Michoacán and western Guerrero, with some areas at about 200mm. Colima and western Jalisco could face 50-100mm.
In other parts, Cyclone Shakhti has formed as the first post-monsoon cyclonic storm of the year in the a body of water, prompting an warning from the India Meteorological Department for an Indian state. On that day, Shakhti was 130 miles south-east of a location in Oman with peak wind speeds of 103km/h.
Shakhti, which has moved in a southwestern direction and weakened, is predicted to turn eastward into the the sea. Rough seas are expected to continue along the coastal stretch and intense rain is expected in coastal districts including Dwarka, Jamnagar and Surat.