PHOTO GALLERY: People enjoy the outdoors despite the heat

August 28, 2012 | 10:10 p.m. CDT

Temperatures reached into the upper 90s Tuesday, but the heat didn't keep some Columbia residents from heading outdoors.

Lucas Crozier, 5, plays in the fountains Tuesday at Flat Branch Park. Lucas was at the park celebrating his brother Max's 3rd birthday. The temperature Tuesday reached 96 degrees when the sun was out, but this weekend thunderstorms are in the forecast. | Kayla Kauffman

Lucas Crozier, 5, pretends he is a track runner and races through the fountain Tuesday at Flat Branch Park. Like many children who play there, Lucas loves turning the fountains off and then on again in between running through. | Kayla Kauffman

Mira Stoddart draws the outline of a painting at the intersection of Elm and Ninth streets across from Shakespeare's Pizza. The painting is part of the storm drain art project supported by the city of Columbia to raise awareness about littering in storm drains. Stoddart is an art teacher at Paxton Keeley Elementary School.

| Yi-Chin Lee