Which type of air mass is characterized by being dry and warm?

The type of air mass characterized by being dry and warm is the continental tropical air mass. This air mass forms over land in regions that experience high temperatures, such as deserts or dry areas typically located around the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. As it originates from these warm land areas, it lacks the moisture that is associated with maritime air masses, making it dry. The warm temperatures are sustained due to the high solar heating of the land surface, contributing to its classification as tropical.

Maritime tropical air masses, in contrast, are warm but also carry significant moisture because they form over warm ocean waters. Maritime polar air masses are cool and moist due to their origins over colder oceanic regions, and continental polar air masses, while they are dry, are characterized by cooler temperatures as they develop over polar land regions. Thus, the distinguishing features of temperature and moisture content underscore why continental tropical is the correct choice.