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Why were much of the Triassic land areas warm and dry?

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Triassic paleogeography — Triassic Period Distribution of landmasses, mountainous regions, shallow seas, and deep ocean basins during the early Triassic Period. Included in the paleogeographic reconstruction are the locations of the interval's subduction zones.

The widespread aridity across much of the Triassic landmass was primarily driven by the formation of the supercontinent Pangea.1

The consolidation of Pangea significantly reduced the total area covered by continental shelf seas, which limited the moderating influence of marine environments on the climate. As a single, massive landmass, Pangea was prone to extreme continental conditions. This geographic configuration, combined with the reduction of inland moisture sources, fostered widespread arid environments characterized by features such as sandstones, dune deposits, and evaporites.1

While these conditions dominated the Early and Middle Triassic, the climate later shifted toward a monsoonal climate in the Middle and Late Triassic. During this time, cross-equatorial monsoonal winds brought seasonal precipitation to various regions, particularly where these winds traversed large expanses of open water.1