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Typhoon Matmo made landfall on the coastal regions of China on Sunday afternoon, following its passage over the provincial island of Hainan. The severe weather forced the relocation of around 350,000 residents, bringing heavy downpours and damaging winds, especially between Guangdong's Wuchuan and Wenchang in Hainan. Ferry services were suspended and flights cancelled at the airport in Haikou.

Typhoon Statistics

Matmo, the 21st typhoon of 2025, recorded wind speeds of 151km/h and poured over 50mm of rainfall in six hours in Qinzhou and Chongzou. The city of the region also experienced high rainfall totals.

The storm triggered China's top-tier emergency warning, with disturbances in the city, where commercial activities, transport links and highways were closed. In Hong Kong, numerous air services were affected and 30 cancelled.

Future Projections

As Matmo moves inland towards Cao Bang province in the neighboring country, it is projected to weaken into a less intense system with 55mph winds but will persist to bring substantial precipitation. Vietnam's northern regions could face significant rainfall on the following day, raising the risk of inundation and landslides. The weather pattern is expected to move towards Yunnan region in China, where additional heavy rainfall is likely.

Global Weather Events

At the same time, Hurricane Priscilla formed off Mexico's Pacific coast on the weekend, first as a tropical storm. It led to a storm watch for the southwestern areas from Punta San Telmo to Punta Mita on Monday.

In the early hours of the next day, Priscilla was about 491 kilometers from a Mexican cape with sustained winds of 65mph. It strengthened into a severe cyclone in the evening, when wind speeds peaked at 121km/h.

Although unlikely to hit the coast, the storm is expected to produce hazardous swells and strong currents as it tracks north-west along the coast towards a Mexican state. Substantial rain is predicted on Monday, amounting to 100-150mm in specific Mexican states, with local totals at about 200mm. Other regions could receive 50-100mm.

In other parts, Cyclone Shakhti has formed as the first post-monsoon storm system of 2025 in the a body of water, causing an warning from the national weather agency for Maharashtra. On Sunday, the cyclone was 209 kilometers southeast of a location in Oman with maximum sustained winds of 103km/h.

The storm, which has tracked in a southwestern direction and lost strength, is predicted to recurve towards the east into the Arabian Sea. Turbulent waters are expected to continue along the coastal stretch and heavy rainfall is expected in shoreline areas including Dwarka, Jamnagar and Surat.