Estimation of Insolation over the Central Red Sea

The monthly means of clear sky insolation over the centralRed Sea were estimated by Smithsonian.s and Lumb.s formulae andtheir annual averages were 287 W.m.2 and 292 W.m.^2. With the correctingfactor of 0.92 and the attenuation by clouds, the annual averagewas 252 W.m.2. The monthly estimated radiations are then comparedwith the recorded radiations from five stations around the latitudinal belt of the central Red Sea. An 11% average reduction ofthe estimated radiations agreed well with the recorded radiations. Thisreduction has been attributed to the aerosols as the Red Sea lies in adusty environment.