King tides, south swell smash Keauhou condo roof on Big Island

A towering south-southwest wave smashed over the Keauhou-Kona Surf and Racquet Club in Kailua-Kona, ripping shingles from the roof and sending debris flying across the oceanfront property. The damage was more than a dramatic splash of surf: it was another warning that King tides and long-period south swells can turn Keauhou’s shoreline condos into repeat targets.

The National Weather Service had already escalated its messaging. On June 15, a high surf warning covered south shores statewide through 6 a.m. Tuesday as a large south-southwest swell combined with king tides. By June 16, the agency said the advisory would remain in effect until 6 a.m. Wednesday, with surf peaking at up to 14 feet before easing. Forecasts described a long-period swell from about 190 degrees continuing to pound south-facing shores as conditions gradually faded.

That forecast mattered because of how the Weather Service measures and classifies surf. Since Aug. 2, 2021, advisory criteria for south- and east-facing shores have been set at 10 feet, up from 8 feet, and surf heights are reported as full-face height from trough to crest. In other words, the numbers in the forecast were already calibrated for dangerous conditions, yet the Keauhou shoreline still took a direct hit.

The scene was not isolated to one condo complex. KHON2 reported multiple Hawaii Island beach closures during the same swell, with surf described as higher than normal across the islands. The weather pattern also brought widespread safety concerns to south-facing shores of all Hawaiian islands, where long-period waves and king tides combined to push water farther inland than usual.

Keauhou-Kona Surf and Racquet Club has been here before. In July 2022, the same complex was hit during a major south swell that produced viral video of water pounding down from above the rooftops. Damage estimates were not available then, but one resident said repairs to the lower level could run upward of $60,000. That earlier statewide swell sent surf to 18 to 24 feet and triggered thousands of ocean rescues, a reminder that the Big Island’s south coast sits in the path of recurring hazard, not rare fluke.

For oceanfront properties in Keauhou and throughout Kona, the latest roof damage underscores a practical question that will not go away with the next calm day: whether this is an isolated strike or a preview of more frequent, more expensive coastal hits.