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The powerful storm struck the coast on the coastal regions of China on the weekend, following its passage over the provincial island of Hainan. The severe weather forced the relocation of around 350,000 residents, delivering torrential rain and damaging winds, particularly between Wuchuan in Guangdong and Hainan's Wenchang. Ferry services were halted and flights cancelled at Haikou Meilan airport.

Storm Details

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

Matmo triggered China's highest-level red alert, with disruptions in the city, where businesses, transport links and roads were shut. In the special administrative region, 100 flights were impacted and 30 cancelled.

Future Projections

As the typhoon moves inland towards Cao Bang province in Vietnam, it is expected to diminish into a less intense system with 89km/h winds but will persist to bring heavy rainfall. Vietnam's northern regions could experience significant rainfall on Monday, increasing the risk of flooding and landslides. The system is expected to move towards Yunnan province in China, where additional intense rain is probable.

Other Storm Systems

At the same time, Hurricane Priscilla developed off the Pacific shoreline of Mexico on the weekend, initially as a tropical storm. It led to a weather alert for south-western regions from Punta San Telmo to Punta Mita on the start of the week.

In the morning of Sunday, the hurricane was about 305 miles from a Mexican cape with continuous gusts of 65mph. It strengthened into a hurricane in the night, when wind speeds reached at 75mph.

Though not expected to make landfall, Priscilla is likely to produce dangerous waves and strong currents as it moves northwestward along the coast towards Baja California Sur. Heavy rainfall is forecast on the coming day, amounting to a considerable volume in Michoacán and western Guerrero, with some areas at about 200mm. Other regions could receive moderate to heavy rain.

Elsewhere, a cyclone named Shakhti has formed as the first post-monsoon cyclonic storm of the year in the a body of water, causing an warning 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 maximum sustained winds of 103km/h.

The storm, which has tracked in a southwestern direction and weakened, is predicted to recurve towards the east into the the sea. Rough seas are expected to persist along the coastal stretch and intense rain is anticipated in shoreline areas including specific Indian cities.