Yes, incoming solar radiation varies by latitude and season. The equator receives more solar radiation than high latitudes because the Earth is tilted on its axis and the Sun's rays strike the Earth at different angles at different times of the year.
Latitude
At the equator, the Sun's rays strike the Earth at a 90-degree angle. This means that the sunlight is concentrated in a small area and the Earth's surface absorbs more energy. As you move away from the equator, the Sun's rays strike the Earth at a more oblique angle. This means that the sunlight is spread out over a larger area and the Earth's surface absorbs less energy.
Solar radiation on the Earth
Season
The Earth's tilt also affects the amount of solar radiation that different parts of the Earth receive at different times of the year. During the summer solstice, the hemisphere that is tilted toward the Sun receives more solar radiation than the hemisphere that is tilted away from the Sun. Six months later, during the winter solstice, the situation is reversed.
The variations in solar radiation by latitude and season have a major impact on the Earth's climate. The equator is generally warmer than the poles because it receives more solar radiation. The high latitudes are generally colder than the equator because they receive less solar radiation. The seasons are also caused by the variations in solar radiation. Summers are warmer than winters because the hemisphere that is tilted toward the Sun receives more solar radiation. Winters are colder than summers because the hemisphere that is tilted away from the Sun receives less solar radiation.
Generally, the higher the latitude, the greater the range in solar radiation received over the year and the greater the difference from season to season. At the equator there is little difference; however, at the multitudes there are large differences between summer and winter. Clear-sky solar radiation incident on the Earth at midday is approximately 26 J m−2 per day during summer, but approximately 9 J m−2 per day during winter at 42° N latitude. Because the angle of radiation varies depending on the latitude, surface temperatures on average are warmer at lower latitudes and cooler at higher latitudes. The sun's rays are far more slanted during the shorter days of the winter months. Cities such as Denver, Colorado, (near 40° latitude) receive nearly three times more solar energy in June than they do in December. The rotation of the Earth is also responsible for hourly variations in sunlight. Lighter surfaces are more reflective than darker surfaces (which absorb more energy), and therefore have a higher albedo. At the poles, the ice, snow and cloud cover create a much higher albedo, and the poles reflect more and absorb less solar energy than the lower latitudes. Solar radiation is most direct at, or close to, the equator and thus produces warmer temperatures. Farther from the equator and closer to the poles, solar radiation is less intense, and sunlight strikes Earth at less direct angles, resulting in cooler temperatures.Because the Earth is a sphere, the surface gets much more intense sunlight (heat) at the equator than at the poles. During the equinox (the time of year when the amount of daylight and nighttime are approximately equal), the Sun passes directly overhead at noon on the equator. More solar radiation is received and absorbed near the equator than at the poles. Near the equator, the Sun's rays strike the Earth most directly, while at the poles the rays strike at a steep angle. Higher latitudes receive less solar radiation because the sun's rays stride the Earth's surface at a less direct angle. This spreads the same amount of solar energy over a larger area, resulting in lower temperatures. More solar radiation is received and absorbed near the equator than at the poles. Higher latitudes receive less solar radiation because the sun's rays stride the Earth's surface at a less direct angle. This spreads the same amount of solar energy over a larger area, resulting in lower temperatures. The Equator, at 0° latitude, receives a maximum intensity of the sun's rays all year. As a result, areas near Earth's Equator experience relatively constant sunlight and little solstice variation. This causes the Sun's rays to strike the Earth's surface at different angles, creating variances in temperatures on Earth.