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The powerful storm made landfall on the southern shores of China on the weekend, shortly after sweeping across the provincial island of Hainan. The severe weather forced the evacuation of approximately 350,000 people, delivering torrential rain and damaging winds, especially between Guangdong's Wuchuan and Wenchang in Hainan. Ferry services were suspended and air travel disrupted at Haikou Meilan airport.

Typhoon Statistics

Matmo, the 21st cyclone of 2025, had sustained wind speeds of 94mph and poured more than 50mm of precipitation in a short period in Chongzou and Qinzhou. The city of the region also received significant rain amounts.

The storm triggered China's highest-level emergency warning, with disruptions in the city, where businesses, transport links and highways were closed. In the special administrative region, numerous air services were impacted and 30 cancelled.

Future Projections

As Matmo advances inward towards the provincial area in the neighboring country, it is expected to weaken into a tropical depression with 89km/h winds but will persist to bring heavy rainfall. Vietnam's northern regions could face significant rainfall on the following day, increasing the threat of inundation and landslides. The weather pattern is anticipated to move towards Yunnan province in China, where further intense rain is likely.

Other Storm Systems

At the same time, a hurricane named Priscilla formed off the Pacific shoreline of Mexico on the weekend, initially as a storm system. It prompted a storm watch for south-western regions from a coastal point to Punta Mita on the start of the week.

In the early hours of Sunday, the hurricane was about 491 kilometers from a Mexican cape with continuous gusts of 105km/h. It strengthened into a severe cyclone in the night, when wind speeds peaked at 75mph.

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. Substantial rain is forecast on the coming day, amounting to 100-150mm in Michoacán and western Guerrero, with some areas at about 20 centimeters. Other regions could receive moderate to heavy rain.

In other parts, Cyclone Shakhti has formed as the first post-monsoon cyclonic storm of the year in the Arabian Sea, prompting an alert 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 103km/h.

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