Rain is almost the only thing that can save the Black Caps from a heavy defeat in the second test against Sri Lanka.
New Zealand were 199-5 in their second innings at stumps on day three at Galle International Stadium on Saturday, still trailing the hosts by 315 runs after they were dismissed for just 88 and forced to follow-on.
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Thunderstorms are forecast from late-morning to mid-afternoon on Sunday, and during the same window on Monday but given how the Black Caps' tail-order has fared with the bat in this test series, Sri Lanka may not need much time to wrap up an innings victory.
The only highlight for New Zealand on day three was opener Devon Conway bringing up his ninth test century in the second innings.
Resuming the day at 22-2, the Black Caps batting was woeful, with just Mitchell Santner (29), Daryl Mitchell (13) and Rachin Ravindra (10) reaching double figures as they were dismissed inside 40 overs.
Conway, Kane Williamson, Mitchell, Tom Blundell and Glenn Phillips were all dismissed in the same fashion, edging to captain Dhananjaya de Silva in the slips off left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya, who finished with 6-42 from 18 overs.
New Zealand lost Tom Latham in the first over again in the second innings, before Conway (61 from 62, including 10 fours and a six) and Williamson (46 from 58) finally provided some resistance, with a 97-run second-wicket partnership.
However, Conway, Williamson, Mitchell and Ravindra all fell in a nine-over stretch to leave the visitors 121-5.
Blundell (47 not out from 50) and Phillips (32 not out from 41) dug in, adding 78 runs before bad light and then rain halted the day's play early, and, along with inclement weather, will be New Zealand's last hopes.
Right-arm spinner Nishan Peiris had figures of 3-91 from 17 in the second innings, following on from his 3-33 from 17.5 in the first innings.