PORT ST. LUCIE , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Tropical Storm Fay , stalled near Cape Canaveral , Florida , soaked portions of east-central Florida late Wednesday , and the National Hurricane Center said it could dump 30 inches of rain in some areas of the state . Streets are flooded Wednesday in Port St. Lucie , Florida , in a photo from iReporter Bethany Schulstrom . As of 11 p.m. ET , the storm was just off the coast of central Florida about 35 miles southeast of Daytona Beach , the National Hurricane Center said . The storm was moving slowly but could make landfall again in northern Florida Thursday , the hurricane center said . It would be the fourth time the storm makes landfall . Fay has come ashore in Florida twice after making landfall in Cuba . NASA reported receiving 21 inches of rain from the storm Wednesday , said Craig Fugate , Florida 's emergency management director . Forecasters said they received an unofficial report of 22 inches northwest of Melbourne , Florida . Florida Gov. Charlie Crist has asked President Bush to declare an emergency in the state to free up federal funding . The storm `` is producing historic flooding across a large portion of Brevard County , '' Crist wrote in a letter to Bush . `` Fay has and will continue to produce copious amounts of rain over a large portion of northeast Florida as the storm turns westward on August 21 . `` Fay remains a significant threat , '' Crist continued , noting that tornadoes have touched down in seven counties . The governor pre-emptively declared a state of emergency last week . As of 11 p.m. ET , Fay the storm had maximum sustained winds of 60 mph -LRB- 95 km/h -RRB- , and it was expected to move slowly toward the northwest overnight , according to a hurricane center advisory . `` This general motion is expected tonight with a gradual turn to the northwest and west-northwest on Thursday , '' the National Hurricane Center said . `` On this track , Fay is forecast to move very slowly across northern Florida on Thursday . '' Fay could make its fourth landfall Thursday along the Florida coast , possibly in the Jacksonville-Daytona Beach area , forecasters said . `` The storm continues to be a threat to this community , '' Jacksonville Mayor John Peyton said . `` Looks like the worst is still ahead . '' Peyton said Jacksonville had set up shelters should people need them . Storm tides of 1 to 3 feet above normal are possible along the Florida 's east coast , to the north of the center of Fay , the hurricane center said , adding that isolated tornadoes are possible over portions of northeastern Florida and southeast Georgia . The storm forced NASA to close for a second day because of `` potential wind threat , '' NASA said on its Web site . The agency was to announce Wednesday night whether it would also be shut Thursday . The U.S. Navy announced Wednesday afternoon that it was moving several ships and aircraft in anticipation of Fay 's arrival in northeast Florida . Naval Air Station Jacksonville has evacuated 24 P-3 Orion aircraft to bases in Maine and Ohio . On the southeast coast of Florida , Fay flooded hundreds of homes in St. Lucie County , authorities said . Rescuers were using airboats and other means Wednesday to pick up stranded residents . Earlier in the day , the county 's Public Safety Department said that as many as 8,000 homes might be affected in two low-lying areas but later scaled the number back . Crist announced the first known storm-related death . A 54-year-old man died from carbon monoxide fumes as he tested two gasoline-powered generators in his home in Highlands County , northwest of Lake Okeechobee in eastern Florida , Crist said , quoting the county 's medical examiner . Crist said he was n't sure when the man died , but the medical examiner received the body Monday . The severe flooding in St. Lucie County took authorities by surprise . Meg Defore said that the first floor of her home was 14 feet above ground but that water had reached the top of her doors . She left in a small boat . Near the north fork of the St. Lucie River , water gushed down streets and lapped at the doors of parked cars . iReporter Bethany Schulstrom , 16 , said water was up to people 's knees in the streets of Port St. Lucie . `` They sent a warning to everyone not to leave -LSB- their homes -RSB- because the snakes are coming out of their holes and there 's fish everywhere , '' she said . A tropical storm warning , meaning that tropical conditions and winds of 39 to 73 mph are expected within a day , was in effect from Fort Pierce in St. Lucie County north to Altamaha Sound in Georgia . A tropical storm watch , meaning that those conditions are expected within 36 hours , remained in effect from north of Altamaha Sound to the Savannah River . In Melbourne , where a 50-year-old rainfall record was shattered , residents have been warned of an alligator swimming in the streets , according to CNN affiliate WKMG-TV in Orlando . CNN 's John Zarrella and Barbara Starr contributed to this report