A high pressure system sitting over New Zealand is keeping the large storm battering New South Wales at bay - but it is only days away from hitting New Zealand.
The storm - billed a "once in a decade" event - entered day three yesterday, with three dead and two missing.
"The high pressure system over New Zealand is acting like an invisible wall out over the Tasman Sea, holding this low in place near Sydney and bringing day after day of torrential downpours, huge seas and damaging winds," head weather analyst at WeatherWatch Philip Duncan said.
However, the high was moving east and, like gridlocked traffic, the low near eastern Australia would start to follow slowly behind it, Mr Duncan said.
"Some parts of New Zealand will have a wet and windy Monday," he added.