According to one embodiment, a computer program product for dropout detection in a read channel includes a computer readable storage medium having program code embodied therewith, the embedded program code being readable and/or executable by a processor to execute dropout detection on a block of signal samples to detect one or more dropout events employing a set of decisions provided by a detector executing a detection algorithm, determine an approximate location for each of the one or more detected dropout events, statistically characterize the one or more detected dropout events to calculate one or more dropout profiles, and selectively filter the block of signal samples during a duration of each of the detected dropout events. Other computer program products, systems, and methods for detecting dropouts are presented in more embodiments.