Fake viral photo of Hurricane Michael was really shot at Pensacola Beach

A viral photo claiming to show Hurricane Michael descending on the Florida Panhandle actually depicts dark clouds rolling over Pensacola Beach last summer, and the photographer behind the image wants to set the record straight.

Since Michael made landfall on Wednesday afternoon, the photo depicting swirling, menacing clouds overlooking Via de Luna Drive has been shared by thousands of social media users all over the Florida Panhandle and beyond. And many of the users have incorrectly referred to it as a photo of Panama City Beach just before Michael came barreling down.

The photo was published on the front page of the Pensacola News Journal on July 3, accompanying a story about stormy weather over the July 4 weekend.

Damage:Before and after aerial photos put Hurricane Michael damage in perspective

Not much local impact:How Hurricane Michael didn't stop a Navarre Beach destination wedding

The photographer behind the image, Sean Rogan, took to Facebook on Thursday afternoon to share the facts.

"So my Shelf Cloud pic on Pensacola Beach has gone viral today as Hurricane Michael coming ashore in Panama City," wrote Rogan, a Pensacola Beach resident and Sysco Gulf Coast employee. "They have enough issues and don’t need fake news. Please copy this pic and reply with it if you see it. Thank you to the many that have stood up for me all day."

Get out, Jim Cantore:SRSO issues 'trespass warning' for Jim Cantore ahead of Hurricane Michael

Hello again Francis Cantore!:Milton firefighter busts out "Francis Cantore" alter ego to cover Hurricane Michael

The viral photo has been shared all over Facebook, Instagram and Twitter in the past couple of days, perhaps most prominently by actress Melissa Joan Hart. Hart posted the photo to her Instagram account with the caption:

"Praying tonight for those who have been affected by #HurricaneMichael. Florida has a special place in my heart for so many reasons throughout my life. But the panhandle is the area we visit often and that holds a special place in our hearts as many of our family there. I pray everyone there will stay safe, get the help they need and rebuild quickly." 

Another shared Facebook post with the photo had more than 34,000 shares and 4,600 likes by Friday.

Even Snopes.com, the long-standing website dedicated to fact-checking and debunking internet urban legends, weighed in on the issue, first addressing the claim that it was a Panama City Beach photo and then stamping it as "miscaptioned." 

So case closed. 

Jake Newby can be reached at jnewby@pnj.com or 850-435-8538.