While the South is still awaiting cool autumn weather, meteorologists have announced the region is also in for a warmer-than-usual winter.

This week, forecasters at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Prediction Center reported that a La Niña pattern will likely develop, bringing slightly higher temperatures and drier weather across the southern portion of the United States, including Tennessee.

"Right now, they're predicting a warmer than average winter for us," said Matt Reagan, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Nashville. "Now, that doesn't mean we can't have some cold snaps within the whole season, but on average, a little warmer than normal."

What to expect in Tennessee

If Middle Tennessee experiences warmer temperatures this winter, it may not feel much different than last year.

Looking back at mean temperatures in Nashville every winter since 1874, last year's winter season was actually ranked the fourth warmest on record, Reagan said, and kept the area "well below our snow average."

While the mean temperature in Nashville each winter — based on a time period from December to January — is 40 degrees, that average this past winter was 46.9 degrees, Reagan said.

Nashville's warmest winter to date, from late 1889 to early 1890, brought an average temperature of 51.6 degrees. The coolest winter was in 1977 to 1978, when the temperature averaged 31.8 degrees.

A La Niña pattern, stemming from lower sea temperatures in the Pacific Ocean near the equator and affecting North American weather, typically brings below-normal precipitation and drier conditions across the South, according to the Climate Prediction Center.

The pattern also results in above-average precipitation and colder-than-average temperatures along the northern tier of the U.S.

Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, contributed to this report.

Reach Natalie Allison at nallison@tennessean.com. Follow her on Twitter at @natalie_allison.