Typhoon Co-may makes double landfall in Shanghai and Zhejiang, bringing record rains

Typhoon Co-may, the eighth tropical cyclone of the 2025 Pacific typhoon season, made two landfalls in eastern China on Wednesday, July 30.

The first landfall occurred at approximately 04:30 LT (20:30 UTC on July 29) on Zhujiajian Island in Zhoushan, Zhejiang Province. The second landfall followed at around 16:40 LT (08:40 UTC) in Fengxian District, Shanghai Municipality.

Sustained winds at the time of both landfalls were approximately 82 km/h (51 mph), with higher gusts. The estimated minimum central pressure during the first landfall was 975 hPa, rising slightly to 978 hPa during the second.

Shanghai rarely experiences direct landfalls from powerful typhoons, which typically affect areas further south. The last notable event was Typhoon Bebinca in 2024, classified as China’s most powerful tropical storm since 1949.

With its latest double landfall, Co-may has now made four landfalls in total—two in the Philippines and two in China. Its first landfall occurred in Agno, Pangasinan, on July 24, followed by a second over Candon City, Ilocos Sur, on July 25.

While official rainfall totals are yet to be published, local reports indicate that Zhejiang received over 370 mm (15 inches) of rainfall within 24 hours. Cixi reportedly broke its annual precipitation record, and Shanghai recorded its highest July rainfall to date. These figures and reports are preliminary and yet to be confirmed as rain continues in the affected areas.

Authorities in Fengxian District closed multiple tourist sites and sheltered 71 vehicles in port facilities on July 29 as a precaution.

Over 282 000 people were evacuated from vulnerable and low-lying areas in Shanghai and surrounding regions. More than 1 900 temporary shelters were established across the municipality. Construction activities were suspended at 4 628 sites in Shanghai for safety.

The storm caused major disruptions to transport networks. Speed restrictions were imposed on highways and railways, with expressways in Shanghai limited to 40 km/h (25 mph) and the Donghai Bridge to 30 km/h (19 mph).

At least 640 flights were cancelled at Shanghai’s two main airports—410 at Pudong International Airport and 230 at Hongqiao International Airport—accounting for nearly 30% of scheduled flights.

Although the system weakened significantly after landfall and was downgraded to a tropical depression, its remnants are expected to continue bringing heavy rainfall to the affected regions throughout the week.

Rishav Kothari

I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.

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