A driving lesson for her daughter yesterday turned into an unexpectedly exciting experience for Deanna Hidaro of Pacific Palisades.

"Something just told me to bring my digital camera," said Hidaro, who photographed a late-afternoon funnel cloud as she looked west from Waimano Home Road. "Me and my children were really excited, and nobody else was looking at it."

National Weather Service meteorologist Tom Birchard said the funnel cloud caused no damage. Several people at Central O'ahu Regional Park also saw it, and Birchard said it appeared that the funnel cloud was along the Wai'anae mountain range between Waipi'o and Wahiawa between 4:30 and 5 p.m.

Hidaro noticed the clouds to the west were hanging low on a really humid day when she saw the funnel developing.

"I'm always looking for something," Hidaro said, "and just so happens it did. I told my kids, 'There it is!' The long funnel came out of the clouds. It was black."

Hidaro asked her daughter Brittney, 17, to pull over and, together with her son, Brytton, 12, they took in the sight. Hidaro snapped two photos before watching the funnel disappear into the clouds.

Birchard said light sea breezes coming from different directions yesterday were pulled up by developing shower clouds, resulting in the rotating column that was the funnel.

Reach Rod Ohira at rohira@honoluluadvertiser.com.