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The powerful storm made landfall on the coastal regions of China on Sunday afternoon, shortly after sweeping across the provincial island of Hainan. The severe weather forced the evacuation of approximately 350,000 residents, delivering heavy downpours and damaging winds, especially between Wuchuan in Guangdong and Hainan's Wenchang. Ferry services were halted and flights cancelled at Haikou Meilan airport.

Storm Details

Matmo, this year's 21st cyclone of 2025, had sustained wind speeds of 94mph and poured more than 50mm of precipitation in a short period in Qinzhou and Chongzou. The city of the region also received high rainfall totals.

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

Future Projections

As the typhoon advances inward towards Cao Bang province in Vietnam, it is projected to diminish into a less intense system with 89km/h winds but will continue to bring heavy rainfall. Vietnam's northern regions could face significant rainfall on the following day, increasing the threat of flooding and mudslides. The system is expected 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 tropical storm. It led to a weather alert for the southwestern areas from Punta San Telmo to Punta Mita on Monday.

In the morning of Sunday, Priscilla was about 491 kilometers from a Mexican cape with continuous gusts of 105km/h. It strengthened into a hurricane in the evening, when sustained winds peaked at 75mph.

Though not expected to make landfall, the storm is likely to generate dangerous waves and rip currents as it tracks north-west along the coast towards a Mexican state. Substantial rain is predicted on the coming day, amounting to 100-150mm in specific Mexican states, with some areas at about 200mm. Colima and western Jalisco could face 50-100mm.

In other parts, Cyclone Shakhti has formed as the first post-monsoon cyclonic storm of the year in the Arabian Sea, prompting an warning from the India Meteorological Department for an Indian state. On that day, Shakhti was 130 miles south-east of a location in Oman with maximum sustained winds of 64mph.

The storm, which has moved south-westward and lost strength, is predicted to recurve eastward into the Arabian Sea. Turbulent waters are likely to persist along the coastal stretch and heavy rainfall is expected in shoreline areas including specific Indian cities.