WeatherFanatics: Typhoon Matmo Pounds Taiwan, China Next

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Typhoon Matmo Pounds Taiwan, China Next

By Eric Leister, Meteorologist

July 22,2014; 7:45PM,EDT

Typhoon Matmo made landfall along the east coast of Taiwan Tuesday night, local time, with winds over 100 mph.
Rain feel in torrents, accumulating 100-150 mm (4-6 inches) per hour in some cases.
The mountains in eastern Taiwan have seen up to 585 mm (23 inches) of rain since Tuesday. Winds were still gusting past 80 mph Wednesday morning as the typhoon exited the west coast of Taiwan.
Heavy rain fell also fell across Lanyu Township, just east of the main island of Taiwan into Tuesday evening. Rainfall of 250-300 mm (10-12 inches) was been reported. Also, wind gusts over 100 mph have pelted the small island for several hours as the eye of the storm passed just to the northeast.
As Matmo moved inland across Taiwan, very heavy rain fell over eastern areas. Yuli township, near the central east coast, reported more than 530 mm (20.8 inches) of rain through early Wednesday morning, local time.
Even with the typhoon exiting Taiwan Wednesday, heavy rains will continue to lash the country.
Since mountains cover much of the island (up to 13,000 feet elevation), heavy rainfall will likely create dangerous and life-threatening mudslides, while flooding will be a major concern across all areas. Localized rainfall in excess of 500 mm (24 inches) will fall in some areas.
Rainfall will average 100-200 mm (4-8 inches) across much of northern and western Taiwan, with local amounts in excess of 300 mm (12 inches).

This satellite image of Typhoon Matmo, courtesy of NOAA, was taken Wednesday morning, local time.
After Matmo leaves Taiwan, a second landfall is likely on the China coast Wednesday afternoon or evening local time.
Areas from northern Fujian to Zhejiang will be at the greatest risk during this time. Rainfall of 100-200 mm (4-8 inches) is expected along with locally damaging winds.

While Matmo will not make landfall in the Philippines, northern parts of the country will still feel some effects from the storm as it passes by to the northeast.
Heavy rain will target western parts of the Philippines as Matmo enhances a tropical southwesterly flow from the South China Sea leading to a threat for dangerous flooding in parts of Mimaropa, Visayas and Luzon.
Through Wednesday, highly populated areas, such as Manila, can get 50-100 mm (2-4 inches) of rain with isolated total in excess of 200 mm (8 inches) which will lead to the threat for flooding.
Rammasun brought damaging wind and flooding rainfall to this same area less than a week ago.
RELATED:
West Pacific Typhoon and Tropical Storm Center
Taiwan Weather Center
Current Satellite Loop of Matmo
Matmo will also bring rain and wind to the southern Ryukyu Islands of Japan into Wednesday. However, impacts will be confined to the islands immediately east of Taiwan and will remain to the south and west of Okinawa which was impacted by Typhoon Neoguri early in July.

After pushing into eastern China, Matmo will be pulled northward by a trough, tracking west of Shanghai across the interior of China. This interaction with land will weaken the cyclone to a tropical storm by Thursday.
A northeast turn will eventually take Matmo into the Korean Peninsula later this week where heavy rain and flooding will be major concerns.
Impacts from Matmo will be well to the north of southern China and northern Vietnam, areas that were recently impacted by Rammasun just days ago.
AccuWeather.com Meteorologist Alan Reppert and Jordan Root contributed to this story.

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