Instructions for using CoAgMet ET input page
Choose the desired date for an ET rate report. This may be either the start date or the end date. If you only need yesterday’s ET rate, you can skip this step because the default date is the previous day. ET rates are based upon weather data that logs from 12 midnight to 12 midnight. Therefore, the correct ET rates are not available for a given date until the following day. For example, if today's date is June 10, the most recent ET available would be June 9.
Choose the number of days needed for your ET report. CoAgMet will use the date you selected and return ET rates for the number of days selected. For example, if you want ET rates for June 1 – 7, 2007; you select June 1, 2010 as the start date and the number 7 in the “# to do” column.
Select the weather station(s) that will be used for the ET report. In most cases the nearest weather station (see linked map) is the best choice unless you have specific knowledge that another station is more representative of your area. If your location for ET rate is between two stations, consider using an average of both. To select multiple stations, hold down the control key and click on the stations you are interested in.
Click on the desired crop(s) for ET rates.
Select the planting date for the particular crop(s) of interest. Be aware that if crop emergence was delayed due to cool weather or other reasons, you may need to adjust the planting date back accordingly. For alfalfa, change the green-up date with each new cutting.
Bookmark your ET output to avoid having to re-enter your preferred crop(s), station(s) and planting dates. You now can go directly to your bookmark to obtain your ET report.