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Typhoon Matmo struck the coast on the southern shores of China on the weekend, shortly after passage over the provincial island of Hainan. The severe weather forced the evacuation of around 350,000 people, delivering heavy downpours and destructive gusts, particularly between Guangdong's Wuchuan and Wenchang in Hainan. Boat transport were suspended and flights cancelled at Haikou Meilan airport.

Typhoon Statistics

The typhoon, this year's 21st cyclone of 2025, had sustained wind speeds of 94mph and dumped more than 50mm of precipitation in six hours in Qinzhou and Chongzou. The city of Nanning also experienced high rainfall totals.

Matmo prompted China's top-tier red alert, with disturbances in the city, where businesses, transport links and highways were closed. In the special administrative region, 100 flights were affected and 30 cancelled.

Future Projections

As the typhoon advances inward towards the provincial area in Vietnam, it is projected to diminish into a less intense system with 89km/h winds but will continue to bring substantial precipitation. Northern Vietnam could experience 130-150mm on the following day, raising the threat of inundation and landslides. The weather pattern is anticipated to move towards Yunnan region in China, where further intense rain is probable.

Other Storm Systems

Meanwhile, a hurricane named Priscilla formed off the Pacific shoreline of Mexico on Saturday night, first as a tropical storm. It prompted a weather alert for the southwestern areas from a coastal point to Punta Mita on Monday.

In the early hours of Sunday, the hurricane was about 305 miles from a Mexican cape with sustained winds of 65mph. It intensified into a severe cyclone in the night, when sustained winds peaked at 121km/h.

Although unlikely to make landfall, Priscilla is likely to generate hazardous swells and rip currents as it tracks north-west along the coast towards Baja California Sur. Substantial rain is predicted on Monday, amounting to 100-150mm in specific Mexican states, with local totals at about 20 centimeters. Colima and western Jalisco could face moderate to heavy rain.

In other parts, a cyclone named Shakhti has developed as the initial post-season storm system of 2025 in the Arabian Sea, prompting an warning from the India Meteorological Department for Maharashtra. On that day, the cyclone was 130 miles south-east of Ras al Hadd, Oman with maximum sustained winds of 64mph.

The storm, which has moved in a southwestern direction and weakened, is forecast to turn eastward into the the sea. Turbulent waters are expected to continue along the Gujarat-North Maharashtra coast and intense rain is expected in shoreline areas including Dwarka, Jamnagar and Surat.