What type of air mass would be moving east toward Washington and Oregon?

• A. Continental Polar
• B. Maritime Polar
• C. Marine Tropical
• D. Continental Tropical

Answer: (C)

Air masses are defined by where they originate (maritime from the ocean vs. continental from land) and by their temperature (tropical meaning warm, polar meaning cool). An air mass moving east toward Washington and Oregon would be coming from the Pacific Ocean, so it’s maritime. If that air mass originates over warm tropical waters, it’s warm and moist—the maritime tropical type. That best fits the scenario of air moving east from the Pacific into the Pacific Northwest, bringing warm, damp air and often stormy conditions. The other options describe dry air from land or cool, moist air from northern ocean areas, which don’t match the typical eastward flow from the Pacific toward Washington and Oregon.