NJ here, and yup, it's been mostly 70's and a few 80's for the past 2 weeks. It would be great minus the no rain in over a month part. I am currently surrounded by 2 brush fires, each about 5 miles away in opposite directions. This is the second year in a row where fires have been this close. Prior to last year, I had never seen this before for the area.
For all its faults, the American South is still a stunningly beautiful place. I've stood on streets exactly like this one in Alabama and felt like I was in a postcard.