diff --git a/RELEASE_NOTES.rst b/RELEASE_NOTES.rst
index 5669e6b8..f4c634ab 100644
--- a/RELEASE_NOTES.rst
+++ b/RELEASE_NOTES.rst
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ Upcoming Release
     A workaround is implemented in `atlite` which reduces the performance when building cutouts, especially for ERA5 cutouts.
     The `nan` values in `cutouts` which are affected by the bug can not be recoevered and the `cutout` needs to be downloaded again.
     For more details on the bug, see the `xarray issue tracker <https://github.com/pydata/xarray/issues/7691>`_.
+* Support for newly released ERA5 back extension to 1940.
 
 Version 0.2.10
 ==============
diff --git a/atlite/gis.py b/atlite/gis.py
index 6ae634e5..1769df44 100644
--- a/atlite/gis.py
+++ b/atlite/gis.py
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ def get_coords(x, y, time, dx=0.25, dy=0.25, dt="h", **kwargs):
         {
             "x": np.round(np.arange(-180, 180, dx), 9),
             "y": np.round(np.arange(-90, 90, dy), 9),
-            "time": pd.date_range(start="1959", end="now", freq=dt),
+            "time": pd.date_range(start="1940", end="now", freq=dt),
         }
     )
     ds = ds.assign_coords(lon=ds.coords["x"], lat=ds.coords["y"])