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   A huge chunk of rock could be taking aim on Mars this weekend as the planet makes its closet approach to Earth since 2005.

   The 164-foot-wide Asteroid 2007 WD5 should pass within 30,000 miles of the red planet, and there’s a 1-in-75 chance of it striking Mars about 5 a.m. Jan. 30, scientists said.

   While the odds are against it hitting Mars, it could create a crater more than one-half mile wide if impact occurred, according to Science@Nasa.

   Meanwhile, Sky & Telescope reports that observers will get a close look at Mars this month and next as it reaches opposition, or its closest point to Earth.

   Mars won’t appear that large in the night sky again until 2016. For a map showing the planet’s location in the night sky, click here.

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Weather buffs ought to enjoy this weekend.
   Everything from wildfire conditions and strong thunderstorms to high winds and freezing temperatures are possible.
   A cold front is forecast to blast through South Texas early Saturday morning, with wind gusts to 40 mph by later in the day. The high winds and low relative humidity behind the front prompted the National Weather Service to issue a red flag warning because of the increased threat of wildfires.
   As the front nears the coast, there is a chance strong thunderstorms could develop. While forecasters don't expect severe weather, some of the storms could produce small hail and wind gusts to 40 mph.
   Clear skies behind the front are expected to bring low temperatures in the low 30s in Victoria Sunday morning.
   What a weekend.

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• Eight storms formed in the Atlantic Basin during September - tying September 2002 for having the most storm formations during any given month.
• For the first time in recorded history, two Category 5 hurricanes made landfall in the Atlantic Basin during the same season. Hurricane Dean hit the Yucatan Peninsula near Costa Maya on Aug. 21 with 165 mph winds, followed by Hurricane Felix on Sept. 2, near Punta Gorda, Nicaragua, with 160 mph winds.
• With a central pressure of 906 millibars, Hurricane Dean had the third lowest pressure at landfall – behind the Labor Day 1935 Hurricane in the Florida Keys and Hurricane Gilbert of 1988 in Cancun, Mexico. Dean is also the first Category 5 hurricane to make landfall in the Atlantic Basin since Hurricane Andrew hit South Florida in 1992.
• Hurricane Humberto grew from a tropical depression with top winds of 35 mph into a hurricane with winds of 85 mph within 24 hours - only three others storms (Celia 1970, Arlene and Flora 1963) intensified faster during a 24-hour period from below tropical storm strength.      &nbs p;