Where in the Northeast? I lived in Binghamton, NY in 1977...rained all summer and cool...both 76 and 77. Winters of 76-77 and 77-78 were numbingly cold...I know; I had to deliver newspapers in that cold. Summer of 78 was pleasant, summer of 79 was not too warm or cold; just right. Summer of 80 was HOT!...Summer of 81 was coolish, summer of 82 started warmish but cooled early...Summer 83 started warm after a very long winter, very short spring,hot weather but cool from mid june ‘till early July, then it was blast furnace heat from July all the way to 10/1 when a line of thunderstorms knocked down trees in Binghamton and fall abruptly started in earnest!
1977 Dallas Texas, the hottest summer I ever experienced. Over 40 days of +100. Many elderly died, afterwards, Pres Carter tried to give them Air Conditioners, but it was already too late, they were dead.