The National Weather Service has issued a freeze warning for the entire Southeast Missouri region, excluding the Bootheel's extreme southern counties.

The warning is in effect from 3 to 8 a.m. Thursday morning, and usurps a previous freeze watch that was issued on Tuesday. The weather service says steps should be taken to protect delicate plants that could be hurt by the freeze.

The temperature at Cape Girardeau was forecast to reach around the freezing mark overnight.