India, June 26 -- An anti-cyclonic circulation continues to hold Delhi's monsoon hostage, delaying the season's arrival even as rains sweep across most of India. On Thursday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the monsoon trough remained south of the Capital, preventing its northward push.

The city, instead, has been left reeling under persistent cloud cover and rising humidity.

For the past week, the monsoon has played a game of moving goalposts with the Capital. Last Friday, IMD said conditions were favourable for the monsoon to reach Delhi by Tuesday. On Sunday, the forecast was revised to say the onset would happen "in the next two days."

By Tuesday, the arrival was expected within 36 hours. When that window passed with...