Spatially Heterogeneous Impacts of Urbanization in Reshaping the Dry and Hot Extremes Across Chinese Cities

Abstract Escalating climatic hazards have posed considerable challenges to urban resilience and sustainable development. By integrating national‐scale meteorological data, this research elucidates how urbanization reshapes the dry and hot extremes across China at various temporal scales and within a regional framework. It reveals that urbanization has intensified heat extremes by 2%–20% since the 1970s, with this contribution increasing to 12%–46% over 2003–2022. Urban‐amplified heat stress is more pronounced in highly urbanized areas and hot, humid climatic conditions. Concurrently, urbanization amplifies the asymmetric precipitation pattern, contributing 13% to reduced light rainfall and exacerbating drought severity by more than 41% in most inland areas. Interactions between urban forcing and climate extremes substantially elevate the risk of compound dry‐hot extremes, albeit with notable spatial heterogeneity. These findings offer valuable insights into the interplay between urbanization and climate extremes, underscoring the imperative for adaptation strategies to enhance urban resilience.