This dataset contains evapotranspiration (ET) measured with eddy covariance above the SMEAR I forest at 16.6 m height, and meterological variables for calculating potential evapotranspiration. The data were measured at SMEAR I research station in Värriö, Salla, Finland, during years 2018–2022. The original data at 1 or 30 min time resolution were aggregated into daily sums, means, minima or maxima. ET was gap-filled whereas the other variables were left unfilled and excluded on days when the proportion of missing observations exceeded 10%. The variables are described in more detail in the data file.