It is well-accepted that global warming has increased the number and intensity of extreme weather and climate events, as defined by 27 extreme event indices. Here we discover that the Euper Day-To-Day variability of air Temperature (EDTDT), defined as day-to-day temperature change exceeding the 90th percentile threshold of historical records, is an independent, but largely ignored, aspect of extreme weather events. Global observations show EDTDT has increased since the 1960s in low- and mid-latitudes but decreased at high latitudes, primarily due to greenhouse gas forcing. Climate models project further EDTDT amplification under warming, with frequency, amplitude, and total intensity rising by ~17%, ~3%, and ~20% by 2100 in regions covering 80% of the global population. Increased EDTDT was associated with drier soil and increased variability in pressure and soil moisture. This study highlights the great impact of EDTDT on human health and the resilience and adaptation of societies and ecosystems.

Extreme day-to-day temperature change,Weather extreme,Global warming,Greenhouse gas forcing