Is SKEW-T still important to soaring pilots ?

On Monday, February 29, 2016 at 12:22:12 PM UTC-5, wrote:
Having used XC skies and now Topmeteo, I wonder what's the need to get the forecasted SKEW -T diagram to points along your task.
Will you as, a pilot, get any better prediction of soaring conditions if you use both ?
Dan

Within the bounds of science, people can interpret a SKEW-T differently. I like that. I think it's easier to "fact check" a SKEW-T against actual observations, and discern whether a certain sounding is actually a reasonable interpretation of a slice of atmosphere for a specific day/situation.

Blipmaps and topmeteo are a computer's interpretation of a SKEW-T. I like to interpret it myself and compare it with the computer.

It's fun to task "using the pretty colors" but perhaps easier to visualise wind shear at an inversion using SKEW-T, and if it'll be worth groveling in the inversion to get on top of it.
Jim