Thermodynamic charts provide information on the vertical structure of the atmosphere.
Profiles of temperature and dew point identify moist and dry layers within the atmosphere along with the location of clouds. The steepness of temperature profiles relative to dry and wet adiabats also indicate the stability of the atmosphere. Meteorologists have formulated several numerical indices that condense the information from these diagrams into single numerical values. Values above or below certain critical numbers indicate the need for further analysis of the possibility of heavy precipitation or severe weather.