🔗 Share this article

The powerful storm made landfall on the southern shores of China on Sunday afternoon, shortly after sweeping across the provincial island of Hainan. The intense weather forced the evacuation of around 350,000 residents, bringing torrential rain and destructive gusts, particularly between Guangdong's Wuchuan and Hainan's Wenchang. Boat transport were suspended and air travel disrupted at the airport in Haikou.

Storm Details

The typhoon, the 21st cyclone of 2025, had sustained wind speeds of 151km/h and poured more than 50mm of precipitation in a short period in Qinzhou and Chongzou. The city of Nanning also experienced high rainfall totals.

The storm triggered China's highest-level emergency warning, with disruptions in Zhanjiang, where businesses, transportation systems and roads were shut. In the special administrative region, numerous air services were impacted and dozens called off.

Forecast and Movement

As Matmo moves inland towards Cao Bang province in Vietnam, it is projected to weaken into a less intense system with 55mph winds but will persist to bring heavy rainfall. Vietnam's northern regions could face 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 likely.

Global Weather Events

At the same time, a hurricane named Priscilla developed off Mexico's Pacific coast on the weekend, first as a tropical storm. It led to a weather alert for south-western regions from Punta San Telmo to Punta Mita on Monday.

In the morning of the next day, Priscilla was about 305 miles from a Mexican cape with sustained winds of 65mph. It strengthened into a hurricane in the night, when wind speeds peaked at 121km/h.

Though not expected to make landfall, the storm is likely to generate hazardous swells and rip currents as it moves northwestward along the coast towards Baja California Sur. Substantial rain is forecast on the coming day, reaching a considerable volume in specific Mexican states, with local totals at about 200mm. Colima and western Jalisco could face 50-100mm.

In other parts, Cyclone Shakhti has developed as the first post-monsoon cyclonic storm of 2025 in the Arabian Sea, causing an warning from the national weather agency for an Indian state. On that day, the cyclone was 209 kilometers southeast of Ras al Hadd, Oman with maximum sustained winds of 64mph.

The storm, which has moved south-westward and lost strength, is forecast to recurve towards the east into the Arabian Sea. Turbulent waters are likely to persist along the Gujarat-North Maharashtra coast and heavy rainfall is anticipated in coastal districts including specific Indian cities.