Increased exposure of rice to compound drought and hot extreme events during its growing seasons in China

• Global warming has led to a significant increase in compound drought and hot extreme events (CDHEEs), which are now more frequent and intense in China’s rice-growing regions, especially after the 1990 s. • The study identifies these events change on rice-growing seasons and regions, showing that CDHEEs change differ between single-cropping regions and double-cropping regions. • The increased exposure to CDHEEs, especially since the 1990 s, highlights the need for strategic adaptation and mitigation measures to ensure the sustainability of rice production in response to climate challenges. Against the backdrop of global warming, compound drought and hot extreme events (CDHEEs) have intensified markedly, attracting attention from both the scientific community and society. However, a comprehensive understanding of the characteristics of the CDHEEs and their potential impacts on rice production during growing seasons remains limited. Thus, in this study, we use daily maximum and minimum air temperatures and the meteorological drought composite index for CDHEE identification. Additionally, we employ the Crop Calendar and the CROPGRIDS data to define the rice-growing seasons and regions. Detailed analyses reveal that from 1961 to 2023, the CDHEE frequency in both single-cropping rice regions (Rice1) and double-cropping rice regions (Rice2) increased at rates of 0.79 days (decade) −1 and 1.26 days (decade) −1 , respectively, with a notable acceleration in the post-1990 s. The duration of the CDHEEs has lengthened, and prolonged events have become more frequent. The intensity of the CDHEEs has also enhanced, primarily driven by hot extreme events in Rice1 and the synergistic effects of droughts and hot extreme events in Rice2. Furthermore, the time span of CDHEE occurrence has expanded, starting earlier (rates of − 3.21 days (decade) −1 in Rice1 and − 4.37 days (decade) −1 in Rice2) and ending later (rates of 4.81 days (decade) −1 in Rice1 and 8.20 days (decade) −1 in Rice2) during rice-growing seasons, thereby extending the exposure duration of rice. Since the 1990 s, rice exposure to the CDHEEs has also intensified, especially for the persistent CDHEEs. These findings indicate the upward trends in the frequency, intensity and duration of the CDHEEs, as well as the exposure of rice to the CDHEEs, during the rice-growing seasons in China. This research provides crucial insights into CDHEE impacts and underscores the necessity of implementing targeted adaptation and mitigation strategies to safeguard rice production amidst escalating climate challenges.