Typhoon Matmo Slammed Coastal China Causing Widespread Evacuations

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 forced the relocation of around 350,000 residents, bringing torrential rain and damaging winds, especially between Guangdong's Wuchuan and Wenchang in Hainan. Boat transport were suspended and air travel disrupted at the airport in Haikou.

Typhoon Statistics

Matmo, the 21st cyclone of the year, had sustained wind speeds of 151km/h and dumped more than 50mm of precipitation in six hours in Chongzou and Qinzhou. The city of Nanning also received significant rain amounts.

The storm triggered China's top-tier emergency warning, with disruptions in Zhanjiang, where commercial activities, transport links and highways were shut. In the special administrative region, numerous air services were impacted and dozens called off.

Future Projections

As Matmo advances inward towards the provincial area in the neighboring country, it is projected to diminish into a tropical depression with 55mph winds but will persist to bring substantial precipitation. Vietnam's northern regions could experience 130-150mm on the following day, increasing the risk of flooding and mudslides. The weather pattern is expected to move towards Yunnan region in China, where further heavy rainfall is likely.

Global Weather Events

At the same time, Hurricane Priscilla developed off Mexico's Pacific coast on the weekend, first as a tropical storm. It led to a storm watch for the southwestern areas from Punta San Telmo to another location on the start of the week.

In the early hours of the next day, Priscilla was about 491 kilometers from a Mexican cape with continuous gusts of 105km/h. It intensified into a severe cyclone in the evening, when wind speeds peaked at 75mph.

Though not expected to hit the coast, the storm is likely to generate hazardous swells and strong currents as it moves northwestward along the coast towards a Mexican state. Heavy rainfall is forecast on Monday, amounting to 100-150mm in Michoacán and western Guerrero, with local totals at about 200mm. Other regions could face moderate to heavy rain.

In other parts, a cyclone named Shakhti has formed as the initial post-season cyclonic storm of 2025 in the a body of water, prompting an alert from the national weather agency for an Indian state. On Sunday, Shakhti was 209 kilometers southeast of a location in Oman with peak wind speeds of 103km/h.

The storm, which has moved in a southwestern direction and weakened, is predicted to turn towards the east into the Arabian Sea. Turbulent waters are likely to persist along the coastal stretch and intense rain is expected in shoreline areas including Dwarka, Jamnagar and Surat.

Colleen Lozano
Colleen Lozano

Automotive enthusiast and dome expert with over a decade of experience in custom car modifications and accessory reviews.