This dataset provides daily average land surface net radiation (Rnet) as an 8-day time series at approximately 0.5 km resolution for the upper Xingu River Basin in Mato Grosso, Brazil, from 2000-02-18 to 2012-11-16. The parameters needed to calculate Rnet, including albedo, downward shortwave radiation (RSnet), upward longwave radiation (RLnet[up]) and downward longwave radiation (RLnet[down]) were derived from MODIS products (MOD43A3, MOD11A2, MOD08E3) and local weather station data. Parameters were estimated under all sky conditions. These parameters are also provided for the Xingu Basin but at varying spatial and temporal resolutions.