Rancho Cucamonga gets a short break from the rain this weekend, but umbrellas should stay within reach.

The National Weather Service forecast for the city, updated Saturday morning, calls for sunny skies and a high near 66 this afternoon.

Sunday looks mostly sunny and a little warmer, with a high near 70.

The dry stretch is not expected to last.

When the rain returns

Forecasters give the city a 30 percent chance of showers late Monday afternoon, after about 4 p.m.

Showers become likely Monday night, with a 70 percent chance, mainly between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m.

A lingering shower is possible Tuesday morning before skies clear, and Tuesday's high is expected to reach only about 63.

Wednesday should bring another dry day before a second system arrives.

Showers are possible late Wednesday night and likely Thursday and Thursday night, with a high near 60 on Thursday.

A slight chance of showers remains in the forecast for Friday.

How much rain

In its Friday forecast discussion, the weather service's San Diego office, which issues the forecast for Rancho Cucamonga, described a cooler pattern with periods of precipitation through late next week.

For the Monday-Tuesday system, the office put the chance of at least a quarter inch of rain at 40 to 70 percent from the coast to the mountains.

Forecasters cautioned that details remain uncertain, with computer models split nearly evenly between a weaker storm and a deeper one.

Winds are expected to pick up again as the Monday system moves in.

Snow levels could fall to roughly 7,000 feet, or as low as 5,500 feet if the stronger scenario plays out, which matters for anyone heading into the mountains.

No weather hazards were listed for Rancho Cucamonga as of Saturday morning.

Getting ready

The City of Rancho Cucamonga posted an El Niño preparedness page in late October that gathers city, county, state and federal resources in one place.

The city encourages residents to clean gutters and drains and to inspect their property before rain arrives.

It also suggests making sure everyone in the household can receive emergency notifications, including San Bernardino County emergency alerts.

Free, self-serve sandbag materials are available to Rancho Cucamonga residents, businesses and schools.

The city's sandbag page lists four fire stations: Amethyst at 6627 Amethyst Ave., Banyan at 11108 Banyan St., East Avenue at 5840 East Ave. and Hellman at 9270 Rancho St.

The city advises preparing sandbags before flooding occurs, not during a storm.

On the road, the guidance is simple: never drive around barricades or through flooded streets.

The city sums it up with a familiar phrase: "Turn around, don't drown."

Worth noting

Monday night's showers could linger into the Tuesday morning commute.

The rescheduled City Council meeting is Tuesday, November 17, at 6 p.m., by which time the forecast calls for clearing skies.

Forecasts change, so check the latest weather service update before making outdoor plans.

Sources: National Weather Service San Diego, point forecast for Rancho Cucamonga updated 10:34 a.m. November 14, 2026 (https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=34.1233&lon=-117.5642) and Area Forecast Discussion issued November 13, 2026 (https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?site=SGX&issuedby=SGX&product=AFD); City of Rancho Cucamonga, El Niño Preparedness (https://www.cityofrc.us/elnino) and Sandbag Locations (https://www.cityofrc.us/news/sandbag-locations); City of Rancho Cucamonga homepage alerts (https://www.cityofrc.us/).

Photo by Harman Tatla on Unsplash