Tropical Cyclone Matmo Hit Southern China Causing Widespread Evacuations
Typhoon Matmo made landfall on the southern shores of China on the weekend, shortly after passage over the island province of Hainan. The severe weather led to the evacuation of around 350,000 people, bringing torrential rain and damaging winds, particularly between Guangdong's Wuchuan and Wenchang in Hainan. Boat transport were halted and air travel disrupted at Haikou Meilan airport.
Storm Details
Matmo, the 21st typhoon of the year, had sustained wind speeds of 94mph and poured over 50mm of precipitation in a short period in Chongzou and Qinzhou. The city of the region also experienced significant rain amounts.
The storm prompted China's top-tier red alert, with disruptions in Zhanjiang, where businesses, transportation systems and highways were closed. In Hong Kong, 100 flights were impacted and 30 cancelled.
Future Projections
As the typhoon moves inland towards Cao Bang province in the neighboring country, it is expected to diminish into a less intense system with 89km/h winds but will continue to bring heavy rainfall. Northern Vietnam could face 130-150mm on Monday, increasing the threat of flooding and mudslides. The weather pattern is anticipated to move towards Yunnan region in China, where additional intense rain is likely.
Other Storm Systems
Meanwhile, Hurricane Priscilla developed off the Pacific shoreline of Mexico on Saturday night, initially as a tropical storm. It prompted a storm watch for the southwestern areas from a coastal point to another location on Monday.
In the morning of the next day, Priscilla was about 491 kilometers from Cabo Corrientes with continuous gusts of 65mph. It intensified into a severe cyclone in the night, when sustained winds reached at 121km/h.
Although unlikely to make landfall, the storm is likely to produce hazardous swells and strong currents as it moves northwestward along the coast towards a Mexican state. Heavy rainfall is predicted on Monday, reaching 100-150mm in specific Mexican states, with local totals at about 20 centimeters. Other regions could face 50-100mm.
In other parts, a cyclone named Shakhti has formed as the first post-monsoon storm system of the year in the Arabian Sea, prompting an alert from the national weather agency for an Indian state. On Sunday, the cyclone was 130 miles south-east of a location in Oman with peak wind speeds of 103km/h.
Shakhti, which has moved south-westward and weakened, is forecast to turn eastward into the the sea. Turbulent waters are likely to persist along the coastal stretch and intense rain is expected in coastal districts including specific Indian cities.
