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Typhoon Matmo made landfall on the coastal regions of China on the weekend, following its passage over the island province of Hainan. The intense weather led to the relocation of around 350,000 residents, delivering torrential rain and destructive gusts, particularly between Wuchuan in Guangdong and Wenchang in Hainan. Ferry services were suspended and flights cancelled at the airport in Haikou.

Storm Details

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

Matmo prompted China's top-tier emergency warning, with disturbances in Zhanjiang, where commercial activities, transport links and highways were shut. In Hong Kong, numerous air services were impacted and dozens called off.

Forecast and Movement

As the typhoon moves inland towards Cao Bang province in Vietnam, it is projected to weaken into a tropical depression with 55mph winds but will persist to bring substantial precipitation. Vietnam's northern regions could face significant rainfall on Monday, increasing the threat of flooding and landslides. The system 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 the Pacific shoreline of Mexico on Saturday night, initially as a storm system. It led to a storm watch for south-western regions from Punta San Telmo to Punta Mita on the start of the week.

In the morning of the next day, the hurricane was about 305 miles from Cabo Corrientes with continuous gusts of 105km/h. It strengthened into a hurricane in the evening, when wind speeds peaked at 75mph.

Although unlikely to make landfall, the storm is likely to generate dangerous waves and strong currents as it moves north-west along the coast towards a Mexican state. Heavy rainfall is predicted on Monday, amounting to a considerable volume in Michoacán and western Guerrero, with some areas at about 20 centimeters. Other regions could receive 50-100mm.

Elsewhere, Cyclone Shakhti has formed as the first post-monsoon storm system of 2025 in the Arabian Sea, causing an alert from the India Meteorological Department for an Indian state. On that day, the cyclone was 209 kilometers southeast of Ras al Hadd, Oman with peak wind speeds of 103km/h.

The storm, which has moved in a southwestern direction and weakened, is predicted to recurve eastward into the Arabian Sea. Rough seas are expected to continue along the Gujarat-North Maharashtra coast and intense rain is expected in shoreline areas including specific Indian cities.