🔗 Share this article

Typhoon Matmo made landfall on the southern shores of China on Sunday afternoon, following its passage over the island province of Hainan. The severe weather forced the evacuation of approximately 350,000 people, delivering torrential rain and damaging winds, especially between Guangdong's Wuchuan and Hainan's Wenchang. Boat transport were suspended and flights cancelled at the airport in Haikou.

Storm Details

The typhoon, this year's 21st typhoon of the year, recorded wind speeds of 94mph and dumped over 50mm of rainfall in a short period in Qinzhou and Chongzou. The city of Nanning also experienced high rainfall totals.

The storm triggered China's top-tier red alert, with disturbances in Zhanjiang, where businesses, transportation systems and highways were shut. In the special administrative region, numerous air services 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 persist to bring substantial precipitation. Vietnam's northern regions could face 130-150mm on the following day, raising the threat of inundation and mudslides. The system is expected to move towards Yunnan region in China, where further intense rain is likely.

Global Weather Events

Meanwhile, a hurricane named Priscilla developed off Mexico's Pacific coast on the weekend, first as a tropical storm. It led to a storm watch for south-western regions from Punta San Telmo to another location on Monday.

In the early hours of the next day, Priscilla was about 305 miles from a Mexican cape with sustained winds of 105km/h. It strengthened into a severe cyclone in the night, when wind speeds peaked at 75mph.

Though not expected to make landfall, the storm is likely to produce dangerous waves and rip currents as it moves northwestward along the coast towards Baja California Sur. Heavy rainfall is predicted on the coming day, reaching 100-150mm in Michoacán and western Guerrero, with local totals at about 200mm. Other regions could face 50-100mm.

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

Shakhti, which has tracked in a southwestern direction and lost strength, is forecast to turn eastward into the the sea. Rough seas are expected to continue along the Gujarat-North Maharashtra coast and intense rain is expected in coastal districts including Dwarka, Jamnagar and Surat.