diff --git a/docs/sphinx/source/whatsnew/v0.10.2.rst b/docs/sphinx/source/whatsnew/v0.10.2.rst
index c196a879e3..bdece45472 100644
--- a/docs/sphinx/source/whatsnew/v0.10.2.rst
+++ b/docs/sphinx/source/whatsnew/v0.10.2.rst
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ Documentation
   (:issue:`1722`, :pull:`1723`)
 * Fix and update example in :py:func:`pvlib.pvsystem.retrieve_sam`.
   (:issue:`1741`, :pull:`1833`)
+* Fix error in :py:func:`pvlib.iotools.get_pvgis_hourly` documentation of `surface_azimuth`.
+  (:issue:`1724`, :pull:`1838`)
 
 Requirements
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~
@@ -48,3 +50,4 @@ Contributors
 * Abigail Jones (:ghuser:`ajonesr`)
 * Taos Transue (:ghuser:`reepoi`)
 * NativeSci (:ghuser:`nativesci`)
+* Lukas Grossar (:ghuser:`tongpu`)
diff --git a/pvlib/iotools/pvgis.py b/pvlib/iotools/pvgis.py
index ca1371d4a1..3f1ba01e97 100644
--- a/pvlib/iotools/pvgis.py
+++ b/pvlib/iotools/pvgis.py
@@ -77,14 +77,14 @@ def get_pvgis_hourly(latitude, longitude, start=None, end=None,
     surface_tilt: float, default: 0
         Tilt angle from horizontal plane. Ignored for two-axis tracking.
     surface_azimuth: float, default: 180
-        Orientation (azimuth angle) of the (fixed) plane. Counter-clockwise
-        from north (north=0, south=180). This is offset 180 degrees from
-        the convention used by PVGIS. Ignored for tracking systems.
+        Orientation (azimuth angle) of the (fixed) plane. Clockwise from north
+        (north=0, east=90, south=180, west=270). This is offset 180 degrees from the
+        convention used by PVGIS. Ignored for tracking systems.
 
         .. versionchanged:: 0.10.0
            The `surface_azimuth` parameter now follows the pvlib convention, which
-           is counterclockwise from north. However, the convention used by the
-           PVGIS website and pvlib<=0.9.5 is offset by 180 degrees.
+           is clockwise from north. However, the convention used by the PVGIS website
+           and pvlib<=0.9.5 is offset by 180 degrees.
     usehorizon: bool, default: True
         Include effects of horizon
     userhorizon: list of float, default: None