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The powerful storm struck the coast on the southern shores of China on the weekend, following its passage over the island province of Hainan. The intense weather led to the relocation of approximately 350,000 residents, bringing torrential rain and damaging winds, especially between Wuchuan in Guangdong and Wenchang in Hainan. Ferry services were halted and flights cancelled at the airport in Haikou.

Storm Details

The typhoon, the 21st typhoon of the year, recorded wind speeds of 151km/h and dumped over 50mm of rainfall in six hours in Qinzhou and Chongzou. Urban areas of Nanning also experienced significant rain amounts.

Matmo prompted China's highest-level red alert, with disruptions in Zhanjiang, where businesses, transportation systems and highways were closed. In the special administrative region, 100 flights were impacted and 30 cancelled.

Forecast and Movement

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

Other Storm Systems

Meanwhile, Hurricane Priscilla formed off the Pacific shoreline of Mexico on the weekend, initially as a storm system. It prompted a storm watch for south-western regions from Punta San Telmo to Punta Mita on the start of the week.

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 night, when wind speeds peaked at 75mph.

Although unlikely to make landfall, the storm is expected to generate dangerous waves and rip currents as it tracks north-west along the coast towards Baja California Sur. Heavy rainfall is forecast on the coming day, amounting to 100-150mm in specific Mexican states, with some areas at about 200mm. Colima and western Jalisco could receive 50-100mm.

Elsewhere, Cyclone Shakhti has developed as the initial post-season storm system of the year in the Arabian Sea, causing an alert from the national weather agency for Maharashtra. On that day, the cyclone was 130 miles southeast of a location in Oman with maximum sustained winds of 103km/h.

Shakhti, which has moved in a southwestern direction and weakened, is predicted to turn eastward into the Arabian Sea. Turbulent waters are likely to continue along the Gujarat-North Maharashtra coast and intense rain is expected in coastal districts including Dwarka, Jamnagar and Surat.