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Penman-Monteith (hourly) Reference Evapotranspiration Equations for

Estimating ETos and ETrs with Hourly Weather Data

Article · January 2002

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Penman-Monteith (hourly) Reference Evapotranspiration
Equations for Estimating ETos and ETrs with Hourly Weather Data

Copyright (2002) Regents of the University of California

Created January 2002
Revised December 2008

R. L. Snyder, Biometeorology Specialist

Department of Land, Air and Water Resources
University of California
Davis, CA 95616, USA

S. Eching, Senior Land and Water Use Scientist

California Department of Water Resources
Office of Water Use Efficiency
P.O. Box 942836
Sacramento, CA 94236, USA

Overview

The following text is a description of the steps needed to estimate reference evapotranspiration
(ETref) for a 0.12 m tall reference surface (ETos) and for a 0.50 m tall reference surface (ETrs)
using hourly weather data as adopted by the Environmental Water Resources Institute -
American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE-EWRI, 2004). Note that the steps are in the same
sequence as one would use when write computer code. The steps to calculate the Penman
equation estimate of ETp for a short canopy with no canopy resistance is also provided.

Data Requirements

Site characteristics including the latitude (+ for north and – for south), longitude (+ for west and
– for east) and elevation (m) above sea level must be input. The required weather data includes
hourly solar radiation (MJ m-2h-1), mean air temperature (oC), mean wind speed (m s-1) and
mean dew point temperature (oC). The air and dew point temperatures should be measured at
between 1.5 and 2.0 m height and the wind speed should be measured at 2.0 m height. For wind
speeds measured at some height other than 2.0 m, the wind speed at 2 m height (u2) can be
estimated as:

 4.87 
u2 = u z  
 ln (67 .8 z w − 5. 42 ) 

where uz = wind speed (m s-1) at height zw (m) above the ground.

STEP 1: Extraterrestrial radiation (Ra) is calculated for each hour using the following equations
from Duffie and Beckman (1980).

GSC = solar constant in MJ m-2 min-1

 GSC = 0.082

σ = Steffan-Boltzman constant in MJ m-2 h-1 K-4

σ = 2.04 × 10-10

φ = Latitude in radians converted from latitude (L) in degrees

πL
φ=
180

J = day of the year (1-366)

dr = correction for eccentricity of Earth’s orbit around the sun

 2π 
d r = 1 + 0.033 cos  J (1)
 365 

δ = Declination of the sun above the celestial equator in radians

 2π 
δ = 0.409 sin J − 1.39  (2)
 365 

Lm = station longitude in degrees

Lz = longitude of the local time meridian

Lz = 120o for Pacific Standard Time

Sc = solar time correction for wobble in Earth’s rotation

2π(J − 81)
b= (3)
364

S c = 0.1645 sin( 2b ) − .1255 cos( b ) − 0.025 sin( b ) (4)

t = local standard time (h)

ω = hour angle in radians

π  L − Lm 
ω = (t − 0.5) + z − 12 + S c  (5)
12  15 

ω1 = hour angle ½ hour before ω in radians

 1  π  (6)
ω1 = ω −   
 2  12 
ω2 = hour angle ½ hour after ω in radians

 1  π  (7)
ω2 = ω +   
 2  12 

θ = solar altitude angle in radians

sin θ = (ω2 − ω1 ) sin φ sin δ + cos φ cos δ(sin ω2 − sin ω1 ) (8)

Ra = extraterrestrial radiation (MJ m-2 h-1)

Ra =
12
(60GSC )d r sin θ (9)
π

β = solar altitude in degrees

sin [sin φ sin δ + cos φ cos δ cos ω]

180 −1
β= (10)
π

STEP 2: Calculate the hourly net radiation (Rn) expected over grass in MJ m-2 h-1 using
equations from Allen et al. (1994).

Rso = clear sky total global solar radiation at the Earth’s surface in MJ m-2 h-1

Rso = Ra (0.75 + 2.0 × 10 −5 El ) (11)

where El = elevation above mean sea level (m)

es = saturation vapor pressure (kPa) at the mean hourly air temperature (T) in oC

 17.27T 
es = 0.6108 exp   (12)
 T + 237.3 

ea = actual vapor pressure or saturation vapor pressure (kPa) at the mean dew point
temperature

 17.27Td 
ea = 0.6108 exp   (13)
 Td + 237.3 

ε′ = apparent ‘net’ clear sky emissivity

ε′ = 0.34 − 0.14 ea (14)

Note that ε′ = ε vs − ε a , where εvs is the emissivity of the grass and εa is the emissivity from the
atmosphere. It is called ‘apparent’ because the temperature from a standard shelter rather than
the surface temperature and atmosphere temperature are used to calculate the ‘net’ long–wave
radiation balance. Equation 11 is called the ‘Brunt form’ equation for net emittance because the
form of the equation is similar to Brunt’s equation for apparent long-wave emissivity from a
clear sky.

f = a cloudiness function of RS and RSO

RS
f = 1.35 − 0.35 (15)
RSO

with the restriction that 0.3 < Rs /Rso ≤ 1.0 and Rs/Rso =0 whenever β <17.2o (=0.300 radians)
above the horizon. When using a spreadsheet program, put the value f = 0.6 in the cell before
the first data cell in the column for f. For each sequential hour interval, whenever β < 17.2o, let
the value for f equal the previous f value. When the corresponding β ≥17.2o, use the Rs /Rso and
Equation 15 to calculate the f values. The values for f will fall between 0.05 and 1.00. If this
procedure is followed, the nighttime values for f will equal the f value at the end of the previous
daylight period until the next daylight period. The nighttime f values are used to estimate the
effect of cloud cover on Rn during the night. This method is used in the [Link] program.

Rns = net short wave radiation as a function of measured solar radiation (Rs) in MJ m-2 h-1

Rns = (1− 0.23)Rs (16)

To convert Rs from W m-2 to MJ m-2 h-1, multiply by 0.0036.

Rnl = net long wave radiation in MJ m-2 h-1

Rnl = − fε′σ(T + 273.15)

4
(17)

Rn = net radiation over grass in MJ m-2 h-1

Rn = Rns + Rnl (18)

STEP 3: Calculate ETo using the Penman-Monteith equation as presented by Allen et al.
(1994)

Bp = barometric pressure in kPa as a function of elevation (El) in meters

 293 − 0.0065El 
5.26

B p = 101.3  (19)
 293 

λ = latent heat of vaporization in (MJ kg-1)

λ = 2.45 (20)
γ = psychrometric constant in kPa oC-1

Bp
γ = 0.00163 (21)
λ

ra = aerodynamic resistance in s m-1 is estimated for a 0.12 m tall crop as a function of

wind speed (u2) in m s-1 as:

208
ra = (22)
u2

Modified psychrometric constant (γ∗)

For the short 0.12 m tall canopy during daylight (when Rn > 0), a canopy resistance of rs = 50 s
m-1 and an aerodynamic resistance of ra = 208/u2 are used to calculate modified psychrometric
constant as:
 r 
γ* = γ 1 + s  ≈ γ (1 + 0.24u2 ) (23)
 ra 

During the night (when Rn ≤ 0), a canopy resistance of rs = 200 s m-1 and an aerodynamic
resistance of ra = 208/u2 γ* are used to calculate the modified psychrometric constant as:

 r 
γ* = γ 1 + s  ≈ γ (1 + 0.96u2 ) (24)
 ra 

For wind speeds less than 0.5 m s-1, the wind speed is set equal to 0.5 m s-1 for both Eqs. 23 and
24. For the 0.50 m tall canopy during daylight (when Rn > 0), a canopy resistance of rs = 30 s
m-1 and an aerodynamic resistance of ra = 118/u2 s m-1 are used to calculate the modified
psychrometric constant as:
 r 
γ * = γ 1 + s  ≈ γ (1 + 0.25u2 ) (25)
 ra 

During the night (when Rn ≤ 0), a canopy resistance of rs = 200 s m-1 and an aerodynamic
resistance of ra = 118/u2 s m-1 are used to calculate the modified psychrometric constant as:

 rs 
γ * = γ 1 +  ≈ γ (1 + 1.7u2 ) (26)
 ra 

For wind speeds less than 0.5 m s-1, the wind speed is set equal to 0.5 m s-1 for both Eqs. 25 and
26.
∆ = slope of the saturation vapor pressure curve (kPa oC-1) at mean air temperature (T)

4099es
∆= (27)
(T + 237.3)2
G = soil heat flux density (MJ m-2 h-1)

For ETos, let G = 0.1 Rn when Rn > 0 and let G = 0.5 Rn for Rn < 0. For ETrs, let G = 0.04 Rn
when Rn > 0 and G = 0.2 Rn when Rn ≤ 0.

R is the radiation term of the Penman-Monteith and Penman equations in mm d-1 .

When Rn > 0, for ETos, the radiation term contribution to ET is calculated as:

0.408∆ (Rn − G )
Ro = (28)
∆ + γ (1 + 0.24U 2 )

And during the night, it is calculated as:

0.408∆ (Rn − G )
Ro = (29)
∆ + γ (1 + 0.96U 2 )

When Rn > 0, for ETrs, the radiation term contribution to ET is calculated as:

0.408∆ (Rn − G )
Ro = (30)
∆ + γ (1 + 0.25U 2 )

And during the night, it is calculated as:

0.408∆ (Rn − G )
Ro = (31)
∆ + γ (1 + 1.7U 2 )

For the ETp (Penman equation), the radiation term contribution to ET is calculated as:

0.408∆ (Rn − G )
Ro = (32)
∆+γ

for both day and night calculations.

A = aerodynamic term of the Penman-Monteith equation in mm d-1 with u2 the wind

speed at 2 m height

When Rn > 0, for ETos, the aerodynamic contribution to ET is calculated as:

 37 γ 
 u2 (es − ea )
 TM + 273 
Ao = (33)
∆ + γ (1 + 0.24u2 )

And during the night, it is calculated as:

  37 γ 
 u2 (es − ea )
 TM + 273 
Ao = (34)
∆ + γ (1 + 0.96u2 )

When Rn > 0, for ETrs, the aerodynamic contribution to ET is calculated as:

 66γ 
 u2 (es − ea )
 TM + 273 
Ar = (35)
∆ + γ (1 + 0.25u2 )

And during the night, it is calculated as:

 66γ 
 u2 (es − ea )
 TM + 273 
Ar = (36)
∆ + γ (1 + 1.7u2 )

For ETp, the aerodynamic contribution to ET during daytime and nighttime is calculated as:

 37 γ 
 u2 (es − ea )
+
Ap =  M 
T 273
(37)
∆+γ

Reference evapotranspiration

For a short (0.12 m) canopy, the Penman-Monteith reference evapotranspiration is calculated

as:

ETos = Ro + Ao (38)

Similarly, for a tall (0.5 m) canopy, the Penman-Montieth reference evapotranspiration is

calculated as:

ETrs = Rr + Ar (39)

For a short (0.12 m) tall canopy, the Penman evapotranspiration is calculated as:

ETos = Ro + Ao (40)

In equations 38-40, the units are mm h-1.

REFERENCES

Allen, R.G., M.E., Jensen, J.L. Wright, and R.D. Burman. 1989. Operational estimates of
evapotranspiration. Agron. J. 81:650-662.
 Allen, R.G. and W.O. Pruitt. 1991. FAO-24 Reference evapotranspiration factors. J. of Irrig.
and Drainage Engineering. 117(5):758-773.

Allen, R.G., M. Smith, L.S. Pereira, A. Perrier. 1994. An update for the calculation of reference
evapotranspiration. ICID Bulletin 1994 Vol 43 No 2.

Allen, R.G., Walter, I.A., Elliott, R.L., Howell, T.A., Itenfisu, D., Jensen, M.E. and Snyder,
R.L. 2005. The ASCE Standardized Reference Evapotranspiration Equation. Amer. Soc.
of Civil Eng. Reston, Virginia. 192p.

Doorenbos, J. and W.O. Pruitt. 1977. Crop Water Requirements. FAO Irrigation and Drainage
Paper 24, United Nation Food and Agriculture Organization, Rome.

Duffie, J.A. and W.A. Beckman. 1980. Solar engineering of thermal processes. John Wiley
and Sons, New York. pp. 1-109.

Jensen, M.E., R.D. Burman, and R.G. Allen, Eds. 1990. Evapotranspiration and Irrigation
Water Requirements. Amer. Soc. of Civil Eng., New York.

Smith, M. 1991. Report on the expert consultation on procedures for revision of FAO
Guidelines for prediction of crop water requirements. United Nations - Food and
Agriculture Organization, Rome, Italy

Tetens, V.O. 1930. Uber einige meteorologische. Begriffe, Zeitschrift fur Geophysik. 6:297-
309.

Walter, I.A., R.G. Allen, R. Elliott, M.E. Jensen, D. Itenfisu, B. Mecham, T.A. Howell, R.
Snyder, P. Brown, S. Eching, T. Spofford, M. Hattendorf, R.H. Cuenca, J.L. Wright, D.
Martin. 2000. ASCE’s Standardized Reference Evapotranspiration Equation. Proc. of
the Watershed Management 2000 Conference, June 2000, Ft. Collins, CO, American
Society of Civil Engineers, St. Joseph, MI.

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