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The powerful storm made landfall on the southern shores of China on Sunday afternoon, shortly after passage over the provincial island of Hainan. The intense weather led to the relocation of around 350,000 people, bringing heavy downpours and damaging winds, particularly between Guangdong's Wuchuan and Hainan's Wenchang. Boat transport were suspended and air travel disrupted at the airport in Haikou.

Typhoon Statistics

The typhoon, this year's 21st cyclone of the year, had sustained wind speeds of 94mph and poured more than 50mm of precipitation in a short period in Qinzhou and Chongzou. Urban areas of Nanning also received significant rain amounts.

The storm triggered China's top-tier red alert, with disturbances in Zhanjiang, where commercial activities, transport links and highways were closed. In the special administrative region, numerous air services were affected and 30 cancelled.

Future Projections

As Matmo moves inland towards Cao Bang province in Vietnam, it is expected to diminish into a less intense system with 55mph winds but will continue to bring heavy rainfall. Vietnam's northern regions could experience 130-150mm on the following day, raising the risk of inundation and landslides. The system is anticipated to move towards Yunnan region in China, where further intense rain is likely.

Global Weather Events

Meanwhile, Hurricane Priscilla developed off the Pacific shoreline of Mexico on the weekend, first as a storm system. It prompted a weather alert for the southwestern areas 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 continuous gusts of 65mph. It intensified into a hurricane in the evening, when wind speeds peaked at 121km/h.

Although unlikely to make landfall, Priscilla is expected to produce dangerous waves and strong currents as it tracks northwestward along the coast towards Baja California Sur. Substantial rain is predicted on the coming day, reaching 100-150mm in specific Mexican states, with local totals at about 20 centimeters. Colima and western Jalisco could face 50-100mm.

In other parts, Cyclone Shakhti has developed as the initial post-season storm system of the year in the a body of water, prompting an alert from the national weather agency for Maharashtra. On Sunday, Shakhti was 130 miles 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 recurve towards the east into the the sea. Rough seas are expected to persist along the coastal stretch and intense rain is expected in coastal districts including specific Indian cities.