![Thomas R Machnitzki ([email protected]), CC BY 3.0](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bay_AR_012.jpg){kind=link}
Why visit Bay
Townapedia lists 2 parks and trails and 1 place to eat in and around town.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 91°F; January lows average 30°F.
Weather in Bay
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Bay
Bay is a city in Craighead County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 1,876 at the 2020 census. It is included in the Jonesboro Metropolitan Statistical Area.
From the Wikipedia article Bay, Arkansas (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Parks, trails and playgrounds2
Restaurants and cafes1
Churches and places of worship2
Gas and EV charging1
History
Located at 35.756882,-90.56504, there are only 2 remaining mounds of society who inhabited the area between 1200 and 1400AD. The Bay group itself culturally belongs to the Lawhorn Phase, a society which existed along both sides of the St. Francis River north of Marked Tree, Arkansas.
At 3:01 PM on April 27, 2011, a tornado hit Bay as part of the 2011 Super Outbreak. The tornado was rated low-end EF2, with estimated wind speeds of 115 miles per hour (185 km/h; 100 kn). The tornado lifted a carport and other light debris at the jonesboro Airport; its path of destruction was 200 yards (180 m) wide and the tornado travelled a path of 0.7 miles (1.1 km).
From the History section of Bay, Arkansas on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Schools, colleges and libraries7
Map of Bay
13 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 47°F | 30°F | 3.5 in |
| Feb | 52°F | 34°F | 3.8 in |
| Mar | 61°F | 41°F | 4.7 in |
| Apr | 71°F | 50°F | 5.2 in |
| May | 81°F | 60°F | 5.2 in |
| Jun | 90°F | 68°F | 3.0 in |
| Jul | 91°F | 72°F | 3.7 in |
| Aug | 90°F | 70°F | 3.4 in |
| Sep | 84°F | 62°F | 3.3 in |
| Oct | 74°F | 51°F | 3.8 in |
| Nov | 60°F | 40°F | 4.4 in |
| Dec | 50°F | 33°F | 4.5 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Jonesboro Muni Ap (8 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Craighead County has had 20 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2025-05-21: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2025-04-05: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2021-12-23: Severe Storms And Tornadoes (Tornado)
- 2020-08-27: Hurricane Laura (Hurricane)
- 2020-05-08: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Straight-Line Winds (Tornado)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Jonesboro Municipal Airport (JBR) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 8 miles away.
- Trumann 5 mi south, about 8 min by car
- Jonesboro 9 mi northwest, about 14 min by car
- Brookland 11 mi north, about 17 min by car
- Lepanto 16 mi southeast, about 25 min by car
- Harrisburg 16 mi southwest, about 25 min by car
- Marked Tree 17 mi southeast, about 27 min by car
- Leachville 20 mi northeast, about 32 min by car
- Paragould 21 mi north, about 34 min by car
- Manila 24 mi northeast, about 38 min by car
- Osceola 32 mi east, about 51 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Bay AR 012, Thomas R Machnitzki ([email protected]), CC BY 3.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.