Typhoon Matmo Slammed Coastal China Causing Widespread Evacuations
Typhoon Matmo made landfall on the southern shores of China on the weekend, following its passage over the provincial island of Hainan. The severe weather led to the evacuation of approximately 350,000 people, delivering torrential rain and damaging winds, especially between Wuchuan in Guangdong and Hainan's Wenchang. Boat transport were halted and flights cancelled at the airport in Haikou.
Storm Details
Matmo, the 21st typhoon of the year, recorded wind speeds of 151km/h and dumped over 50mm of precipitation in six hours in Qinzhou and Chongzou. Urban areas of the region also received high rainfall totals.
Matmo prompted China's top-tier emergency warning, with disruptions in Zhanjiang, where commercial activities, transportation systems and roads were shut. In the special administrative region, numerous air services were impacted and 30 cancelled.
Forecast and Movement
As the typhoon advances inward towards the provincial area in Vietnam, it is expected to weaken into a tropical depression with 89km/h winds but will persist to bring substantial precipitation. Northern Vietnam could face 130-150mm on Monday, raising the threat of inundation and landslides. The weather pattern is expected to move towards Yunnan region in China, where further intense rain is probable.
Other Storm Systems
At the same time, a hurricane named Priscilla developed off the Pacific shoreline of Mexico on the weekend, first as a tropical storm. It led to a weather alert for the southwestern areas from a coastal point to Punta Mita on the start of the week.
In the morning of the next day, Priscilla was about 491 kilometers from a Mexican cape with continuous gusts of 65mph. It strengthened into a hurricane in the night, when sustained winds reached at 75mph.
Although unlikely to hit the coast, the storm is likely to produce hazardous swells and strong currents as it tracks northwestward along the coast towards a Mexican state. Heavy rainfall is forecast on the coming day, amounting to a considerable volume in Michoacán and western Guerrero, with local totals at about 20 centimeters. Other regions could face moderate to heavy rain.
Elsewhere, Cyclone Shakhti has formed as the initial post-season storm system of the year in the a body of water, causing an alert from the India Meteorological Department for Maharashtra. On that day, Shakhti was 130 miles south-east of a location in Oman with peak wind speeds of 64mph.
Shakhti, which has tracked in a southwestern direction and weakened, is predicted to turn towards the east into the the sea. Turbulent waters are likely to persist along the Gujarat-North Maharashtra coast and heavy rainfall is anticipated in coastal districts including specific Indian cities.
