GRAMMAR DETAIL

そうにない

does not look likely to ...

Judges from the present situation that something is unlikely to happen.

Examples

雲が薄いので、今夜は雨が降りそうにない。

The clouds are thin, so it does not look likely to rain tonight.

この荷物は一人では運べそうにない。

This luggage does not look manageable for one person to carry.

空は明るく、雨は降りそうにない。

The sky is bright, and it does not look likely to rain.

Structure: そうにない follows a verb's masu-stem to judge from current circumstances that the event seems unlikely.
Basic usage: この荷物は一人では運べそうにない。 judges that carrying the luggage alone does not look feasible.

Combining with a potential verb
- 運べそうにない uses the stem of potential 運べる to judge whether carrying is possible. 運びそうにない uses the stem of 運ぶ to judge whether the act of carrying is likely to occur.
Unlike a negative report
- 雨は降りそうにない judges rain unlikely from appearances, whereas 雨は降らないそうだ reports having heard that it will not rain. The preceding verb form and position of the negative differ.