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Typhoon Matmo struck the coast on the coastal regions of China on the weekend, following its passage over the island province of Hainan. The severe weather forced the evacuation of approximately 350,000 residents, delivering heavy downpours and destructive gusts, particularly between Guangdong's Wuchuan and Hainan's Wenchang. Ferry services were halted and air travel disrupted at the airport in Haikou.

Typhoon Statistics

The typhoon, the 21st cyclone of the year, recorded wind speeds of 151km/h and poured over 50mm of precipitation in six hours in Chongzou and Qinzhou. The city of the region also experienced high rainfall totals.

Matmo triggered China's top-tier red alert, with disruptions in the city, where commercial activities, transportation systems and roads were shut. In the special administrative region, 100 flights were affected and dozens called off.

Future Projections

As the typhoon moves inland towards the provincial area in the neighboring country, it is expected to diminish into a tropical depression with 89km/h winds but will continue to bring substantial precipitation. Northern Vietnam could face 130-150mm on the following day, raising the threat of flooding and mudslides. The weather pattern is expected to move towards Yunnan province in China, where further intense rain is probable.

Global Weather Events

At the same time, Hurricane Priscilla developed off the Pacific shoreline of Mexico on Saturday night, first as a tropical storm. It prompted a weather alert for south-western regions from a coastal point to another location on the start of the week.

In the morning of Sunday, Priscilla was about 491 kilometers from Cabo Corrientes with sustained winds of 65mph. It intensified into a severe cyclone in the evening, when wind speeds peaked at 75mph.

Although unlikely to make landfall, the storm is likely to produce hazardous swells and rip currents as it tracks north-west along the coast towards Baja California Sur. Substantial rain is predicted on Monday, reaching a considerable volume in specific Mexican states, with some areas at about 200mm. Colima and western Jalisco could face 50-100mm.

Elsewhere, Cyclone Shakhti has formed as the first post-monsoon cyclonic storm of 2025 in the a body of water, prompting an warning from the India Meteorological Department for an Indian state. On that day, the cyclone was 209 kilometers south-east of a location in Oman with peak wind speeds of 64mph.

Shakhti, which has tracked south-westward and weakened, is predicted to turn towards the east into the Arabian Sea. Rough seas are likely to persist along the coastal stretch and intense rain is expected in coastal districts including Dwarka, Jamnagar and Surat.