Mci local controller described asde go around event that may have been triggered by rain.

Attributes
ACN	779855
Time
Date	200803
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mci.airport
State Reference	MO
Altitude	agl single value : 10
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Fog
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mci.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B717 (Formerly MD-95)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar pilot : instrument
Experience	controller radar : 23
ASRS Report	779855
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : asde
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Navigational Facility
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility

Narrative:

Aircraft was in landing phase of approach; tower was unable to see runway; asde advised to send aircraft around. Advising aircraft to go around if able; asde said something about runway occupied. Had an area about 1/2 way down runway edged showing WX reflection area to side of runway. As aircraft was going around; target appeared in first third of runway for 10 seconds and disappeared. WX contractor was in tower and showed us an area of rain; about 1/4 mi in diameter at the location of reflection. We had mist most of the day; this was the first of the rain.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MCI LCL CTLR DESCRIBED ASDE GAR EVENT THAT MAY HAVE BEEN TRIGGERED BY RAIN.

Narrative: ACFT WAS IN LNDG PHASE OF APCH; TWR WAS UNABLE TO SEE RWY; ASDE ADVISED TO SEND ACFT AROUND. ADVISING ACFT TO GO AROUND IF ABLE; ASDE SAID SOMETHING ABOUT RWY OCCUPIED. HAD AN AREA ABOUT 1/2 WAY DOWN RWY EDGED SHOWING WX REFLECTION AREA TO SIDE OF RWY. AS ACFT WAS GOING AROUND; TARGET APPEARED IN FIRST THIRD OF RWY FOR 10 SECONDS AND DISAPPEARED. WX CONTRACTOR WAS IN TWR AND SHOWED US AN AREA OF RAIN; ABOUT 1/4 MI IN DIAMETER AT THE LOCATION OF REFLECTION. WE HAD MIST MOST OF THE DAY; THIS WAS THE FIRST OF THE RAIN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.