Enhanced Extreme Precipitation Simulation in China Using NCAR CESM Based on a Realistic Remotely‐Sensed Time Series of Annual Land Cover and Land Use Data From 1982 to 2013

Abstract Accurate simulation of climate extremes is critical for climate mitigation and adaptation. The role of land cover and land use change (LCLUC) on climate extremes has been well documented. Yet, current modeling studies can barely capture how LCLU evolves in the real world, limiting their ability to reliably simulate climate extremes. This study integrated high‐resolution, accurate, dynamic remotely‐sensed LCLU data from 1982 to 2013 into the second version of the Community Earth System Model (CESM) to enhance its performance in simulating precipitation extremes in China. Two CESM experiments, EXP‐LUH2 with default annual Land‐Use Harmonization (LUH2) data and EXP‐RS with annual remotely‐sensed LCLU data, were compared. The results demonstrate that EXP‐RS outperforms EXP‐LUH2 in simulating precipitation extremes with lower bias and root mean square error for 11 out of the 12 extreme precipitation indices. This improved performance, to a large extent, is attributed to the reduction in bias associated with leaf area index and soil moisture, the enhancement of evapotranspiration, and the subsequent improvement in simulation of total precipitable water. These findings highlight the importance of incorporating realistic, time‐series LCLU data to better represent LCLUC in climate models, especially when satellite‐derived LCLU data is available, which can further benefit climate projections and land management strategies.