Urban extent enhances extreme precipitation over the Pearl River Delta, China

The relationship between urban extent and extreme precipitation over the Pearl River Delta in China is evaluated using the Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission 3B42 precipitation product. The spatial pattern of extreme precipitation indices agrees well with that of the urban extent, with significant and positive spatial correlation between the two. The correlation is stronger for extreme indices at shorter temporal scales than for those at longer temporal scales. For example, the coefficient of correlation with the natural logarithm of urban extent is 0.42 for the maximum consecutive 5‐day precipitation amount and reaches 0.74 for the maximum consecutive 3‐h precipitation amount.