<scp>Convection</scp>‐permitting modeling with regional climate models: Latest developments and next steps

TLDR

Convection‑permitting regional climate models, first developed about a decade ago, enable fine‑resolution decadal simulations and recent large‑domain runs have revealed their strengths and limitations. This review surveys CPRCM methodology, assesses their added value, and outlines future steps to improve coordinated ensemble projections. The review draws on newly available ~1 km, ~1 h resolution observational datasets to evaluate CPRCM added value and describes the methodology for producing such simulations. Impact studies leveraging CPRCM simulations are highlighted, demonstrating their practical applications. The article is categorized under Climate Models and Modeling > Earth System Models.

Abstract

Abstract Approximately 10 years ago, convection‐permitting regional climate models (CPRCMs) emerged as a promising computationally affordable tool to produce fine resolution (1–4 km) decadal‐long climate simulations with explicitly resolved deep convection. This explicit representation is expected to reduce climate projection uncertainty related to deep convection parameterizations found in most climate models. A recent surge in CPRCM decadal simulations over larger domains, sometimes covering continents, has led to important insights into CPRCM advantages and limitations. Furthermore, new observational gridded datasets with fine spatial and temporal (~1 km; ~1 h) resolutions have leveraged additional knowledge through evaluations of the added value of CPRCMs. With an improved coordination in the frame of ongoing international initiatives, the production of ensembles of CPRCM simulations is expected to provide more robust climate projections and a better identification of their associated uncertainties. This review paper presents an overview of the methodology to produce CPRCM simulations and the latest research on the related added value in current and future climates. Impact studies that are already taking advantage of these new CPRCM simulations are highlighted. This review paper ends by proposing next steps that could be accomplished to continue exploiting the full potential of CPRCMs. This article is categorized under: Climate Models and Modeling &gt; Earth System Models