Abstract: The idea of the spatial local similarity is introduced to improve the thermal enhance method for fully using the advantages of the temporal and spatial resolutions of MODIS data. Based on the modified Surface Energy Balance Algorithm for Land (SEBAL) model and MODIS products, the retrieval and the verification of the regional surface evapotranspiration(ET₀) in Shandong Province show that the simulation results of the remote sensing model are in good agreement with those in situ observation, and the mean daily relative errors are about -11.34%. The monthly changes of ET₀ in different land use and land cover (LULC) types in 2005 and 2006 are analyzed. It is found that the monthly average ET₀ is highest in water areas, followed by paddy fields. A similar ET₀ variation is found over woodlands, dry lands and grasslands. The ET₀ minimum is obtained on urban lands.