The knowledge of the probability of occurrence of the ratio between the actual evapotranspiration and the potential evapotranspiration (ETR/ETP) is fundamental to choose the best sowing/plantation seasons, and might be important to the climatic risks zoning. Using the beta probability density function it was determined the probability of occurrence of the ETR/ETP values in the region of Campinas, São Paulo State, Brazil for the period from 1890 to 2006. The same analysis was carried out considering the years from 1890 to 1918, 1919 to 1947, 1948 to 1976 (twenty-nine years) and 1977 to 2006 (thirty years), in order to investigate the variability of the ETR/ETP probabilities of occurrence. The analyses allowed to infer that: a) The ETR/ETP =1 cases have the largest probability of occurrence in January; b) under the point of view of the replacement of evapotranspiration losses, the most critical periods for the local agricultural calendar are in April, October and the first 10-day interval of November; and c) The method employed does not allow us to detect significant alterations in the frequency of ETR/ETP values during the analyzed period.
climatic risks zoning; ETR/ETP; beta distribution
