<strong>Introduction:</strong> Evapotranspiration is key in the management of arid agricultural areas. In Chihuahua, the volume of irrigation water is based on reference evapotranspiration (ET<sub>o</sub>) calculated with empirical methods and extrapolated to the cropped area, which is inaccurate. The alternative is to calculate ET<sub>o</sub> variation by spatial interpolation.</br> <strong>Objective:</strong> To analyze the spatio-temporal variation of ET<sub>o</sub> using empirical methods and spatial interpolation in Chihuahua, Mexico.</br> <strong>Methodology:</strong> Records from 33 meteorological stations from 1960-2013 and seven ET<sub>o</sub> estimation methods were used. The results were compared with the Penman-Monteith method, modified by FAO (PMMF), ANOVA analysis (P ≤ 0.05), and homogeneous ET<sub>o</sub> surfaces built from the point values by spatial interpolation.</br> <strong>Results:</strong> The Hargreaves method (R<sup>2</sup> = 0.91, RMSE = 1.16 and ME = -0.69 mm-day<sup>-1</sup>) had a smaller bias with respect to PMMF. ET<sub>o</sub> values ranged from 2.5 to 7.1 mm-day<sup>-1</sup> in a west-east direction, with maximum values at low elevations and minimum values at high elevations, which showed the influence of the Sierra Madre Occidental on ET<sub>o</sub>. This characteristic was most noticeable in the warm months (June to September).</br> <strong>Limitations of the study:</strong> The use of estimated data needs field validation.</br> <strong>Originality:</strong> The ET<sub>o</sub> estimation with seven empirical methods and one spatial interpolation method to extrapolate values to areas with scarce meteorological data.</br> <strong>Conclusions:</strong> The Hargreaves method allows estimating the spatio-temporal variation of ET<sub>o</sub> in large extensions and areas with limited meteorological information.</br>
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