what are the characteristics of a maritime tropical air mass
Air mass
Tropical and equatorial air masses are hot as they develop over lower latitudes . Those that develop over land ( continental ) are drier and hotter than those that develop over oceans , and travel poleward on the western periphery of the subtropical ridge . Maritime tropical air masses are sometimes referred to as trade air masses . Monsoon air masses are moist and unstable . Superior air masses are dry , and rarely reach the ground . They normally reside over maritime tropical air masses , forming a warmer and drier layer over the more moderate moist air mass below , forming what is known as a trade wind inversion over the maritime tropical air mass . Continental Polar air masses ( cP ) are air masses that are cold and dry due to their continental source region . Continental polar air masses that affect North America form over interior Canada . Continental Tropical air masses ( cT ) are a type of tropical air produced by the subtropical ridge over large areas of land and typically originate from low - latitude deserts such as the Sahara Desert in northern Africa , which is the major source of these air masses . Other less important sources producing cT air masses are the Arabian Peninsula , the central arid / semi-arid part of Australia and deserts lying in the Southwestern United States . Continental tropical air masses are extremely hot and dry . 
Tropical and equatorial air masses are hot as they develop over lower latitudes . Those that develop over land ( continental ) are drier and hotter than those that develop over oceans , and travel poleward on the western periphery of the subtropical ridge . Maritime tropical air masses are sometimes referred to as trade air masses . Monsoon air masses are moist and unstable . Superior air masses are dry , and rarely reach the ground . They normally reside over maritime tropical air masses , forming a warmer and drier layer over the more moderate moist air mass below , forming what is known as a trade wind inversion over the maritime tropical air mass . Continental Polar air masses ( cP ) are air masses that are cold and dry due to their continental source region . Continental polar air masses that affect North America form over interior Canada . Continental Tropical air masses ( cT ) are a type of tropical air produced by the subtropical ridge over large areas of land and typically originate from low - latitude deserts such as the Sahara Desert in northern Africa , which is the major source of these air masses . Other less important sources producing cT air masses are the Arabian Peninsula , the central arid / semi-arid part of Australia and deserts lying in the Southwestern United States . Continental tropical air masses are extremely hot and dry .
Maritime tropical air masses are sometimes referred to as trade air masses.   Superior air masses are dry, and rarely reach the ground.  Superior air masses are dry and rarely reach the ground. They normally reside over maritime tropical air masses, forming a warmer and drier layer over the more moderate moist air mass below, forming what is known as a trade wind inversion over the maritime tropical air mass.
Maritime tropical air masses are sometimes referred to as trade air masses . Superior air masses are dry , and rarely reach the ground . They normally reside over maritime tropical air masses , forming a warmer and drier layer over the more moderate moist air mass below , forming what is known as a trade wind inversion over the maritime tropical air mass .
Maritime tropical air masses are sometimes referred to as trade air masses.  Monsoon air masses are moist and unstable and superior air masses are dry, and rarely reach the ground.  They normally reside over maritime tropical air masses, forming a warmer and drier layer over the more moderate moist air mass below, forming what is known as a trade wind inversion over the maritime tropical air mass.
Maritime tropical air masses are sometimes referred to as trade air masses . Monsoon air masses are moist and unstable . Superior air masses are dry , and rarely reach the ground . They normally reside over maritime tropical air masses , forming a warmer and drier layer over the more moderate moist air mass below , forming what is known as a trade wind inversion over the maritime tropical air mass .