Evapotranspiration and Climograph

This uses data from a model, and thus can return values anywhere on earth.  It is relatively coarse resolution, and misses many peaks and valleys.  For some applications, you might prefer actual data recorded at a station.

Start option two ways:

You can also go to the FAO website, and manually enter coordinates.

Get the Aquastat climate Excel template with  Download data files--on tools submenu of file menu.  It will create graphs with correct scaling and symbology.

 
  • On any map, right click where you want climate data.
  • On the popup menu, pick Load, Aquastat Climate
  • The program will go to the Aquastat program from the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) and get climate information for location.  This will appear (after a short but probably noticeable delay) in a browser window, perhaps in a new tab of an open browser window.
  • MICRODEM will also open the template Excel workbook.
Copy data from the browser window to the clipboard.  You must be sure that you get all the data; it is far better to copy too much compared to too little.
Paste the data into the Excel spreadsheet.  Put it below the data table, it does not matter where.
Copy just the numerical values for the parameters for the 12 months.  Do not include the text titles, or the annual totals.  However, you can see the total yearly precipitation and evapotranspiration, and get a sense about the local deficit or surplus.
Copy the data into the yellow part of the template at the top of the form.

 

 
Tabs at the bottom of the spreadsheet will have three graphs
  • ETO-Precip
  • Climograph
  • Temp ranges (average monthly min, mean, and max)

.

If you paste the graphs into Word, you are likely to have problems with placement of the axes and the legend unless you import as a picture.  To avoid this, paste the graph into Paint, adjust the size, and then copy and paste into Word.

 

FAO Website

Climate information tool of FAO website--estimate parameters for climograph, and evapotranspiration

  • Pick the "Climate information tool" in the center of the page.
  • Enter latitude and longitude desired in the top of the form.  Remember that W longitude and S latitude are negative.
  • Select Go.
You will get a table.

Select the data table, and copy it to the clipboard.  Get too much in preference to too little.
Open Excel and the Aquastat climate Excel template, and follow the directions above.

 

Last revision 11/20/2015