As photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) variability and PAR estimating methods play an important role in climate change and ecological process research, PAR variation trends and broadband global solar radiation (R s ) ratios (PAR/R s ) in the North China Plain (NCP) are examined using in situ PAR and R s observed data for 2005 to 2011. The annual average PAR value found in the NCP is 22.9 mol m−2 d−1. The highest and lowest values were recorded at Changwu and Luancheng sites, respectively. The highest PAR/R s value was found in Jiaozhouwan due to large water vapor volumes present in this area. PAR/R s levels have increased in the NCP due to a decrease in fine aerosols and increase in water vapor concentration. From these analysis results, a parameterization model that can be applied to all sky conditions was checked. Empirical estimation model comparisons for obtaining PAR values indicate that model was least accurate when R s was used independently. When the model included R s, the clearness index (K s) and the solar zenith angle, the model estimated PAR values with acceptable accuracy. A parameterization model was constructed by considering K s and attenuation factors of PAR under clear weather conditions (ρ clear). The improved parameterization model more accurately predicts values for local sites and for various observation sites.