False radar echoes were being displayed on WSR-88D products from the Lubbock, TX Weather Forecast Office (WFO) during a severe weather outbreak. Technicians, engineers, and meteorologists at the Radar Operations Center (ROC) conducted an investigation to find the cause. Troubleshooting false echoes, later referred to as �ghost echoes,� proved to be an elusive exercise. Many theories and tests led to a seemingly illogical reason for ghost echoes. We had revealed a latent problem in all WSR-88Ds.

We explain steps we took to find the cause of ghost echoes. We discuss weather and radar operating conditions that produce ghost echoes and offer field operators a way to avoid the problem on their systems.