Which air mass is generally associated with high humidity and originates over warm ocean waters?

The air mass that is associated with high humidity and originates over warm ocean waters is the Maritime Equatorial (mE) air mass. This type of air mass forms in tropical regions over warm seas, where it absorbs moisture from the ocean, resulting in high humidity content. Because it originates in a warm environment, it carries significant heat and moisture, which contributes to weather phenomena like thunderstorms and heavy precipitation when it moves over land or interacts with other air masses.

The Maritime Equatorial air mass's characteristics make it particularly influential in tropical weather systems, including cyclones, and help explain the humid conditions found in equatorial regions. The warm ocean surface significantly impacts the air mass, and as it moves, it can lead to variations in temperature and humidity, especially in coastal areas.

Other air masses in the choices listed do not have these characteristics:

• Continental Polar (cP) originates over land in high-latitude regions and is typically cold and dry.
• Maritime Polar (mP) comes from colder ocean waters, resulting in cool and moist conditions but not as warm or humid as mE.
• Continental Tropical (cT) forms over land in lower latitudes but is characterized by hot and dry conditions, lacking the moisture typically associated with maritime air