Skew-T’s are commonly used in weather forecasting to better examine a vertical profile of both the dynamics and thermodynamics of an environment at a given point. Most forecast models provide these soundings, which can allow a forecaster to explore differences between models at the same place and time. This can enable one to see a range of potential outcomes. Twice a day, many National Weather Service offices launch a weather balloon with a radiosonde attached to capture an actual sampling of the environment. On days which are expected to feature significantly impactful weather, several offices and other entities will launch extra balloons in order to get an extra clear picture of what actually could happen.
On May 20, 2019, the National Weather Service offices in Norman, Oklahoma, and Fort Worth, Texas, launched balloons at 18Z, 21Z, and 00Z (1pm, 4pm, and 7pm local time).
