Hurricane Sandy to make landfall early Monday evening: NHC

A man watches rising waters on the East River from Brooklyn as Hurricane Sandy made its approach in New York October 29, 2012.

(Reuters) - Hurricane Sandy, located about 110 miles southeast of Atlantic City, New Jersey, and about 175 miles south-southeast of New York City, is expected to make landfall early Monday evening, the National Hurricane Center said in its latest bulletin.

"Sandy is now moving toward the northwest near 28 miles per hour (44 km per hour). This general motion is expected to continue through this afternoon and evening until landfall occurs, followed by a turn toward the west-northwest tonight," the agency said.

Sandy, which was packing maximum sustained winds near 90 miles per hour (150 km per hour) with higher gusts, is expected to transition into a frontal or wintertime low pressure system later today or tonight, the NHC said.

(Reporting By Shruti Chaturvedi in Bangalore; Editing by Gerald E. McCormick)