Heavy rain, high winds and warm temperatures along British Columbia鈥檚 south coast are creating dangerous avalanche conditions on slopes across the region this weekend.

Avalanche Canada says it has raised the danger level to high 鈥� the fourth highest risk category on a scale of five 鈥� for much of the mountainous terrain to the north and east of Metro Vancouver.

The warning says that natural avalanches are 鈥渓ikely鈥� while human-triggered slides are 鈥渧ery likely,鈥� as the new snow from recent storms is 鈥渟howing poor bonding to underlying weak layers.鈥�

High avalanche danger levels have also been placed on parts of Vancouver Island, the West Kootenay region and parts of the North Coast from Kitimat to Terrace.

Environment Canada has issued rainfall warning for Metro Vancouver鈥檚 north shore and Howe Sound, while wind gusts reaching 90 kilometres an hour are expected on parts of Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast.

The weather agency has also issued a winter storm warning for Highway 3 at Kootenay Pass between Grand Forks and Creston, as almost 35 centimetres of wet snow could create 鈥渕essy and potentially hazardous driving conditions.鈥�

鈥淰isibility may be suddenly reduced at times in heavy snow,鈥� the warning says. 鈥淎djust to winter driving behaviour and use winter tires and chains.鈥�

The B.C. Transportation Ministry鈥檚 DriveBC information system says a weather advisory is also in effect for Highway 1 from Sicamous to the Alberta border, with developing avalanche conditions leading to possible 鈥渞apid condition changes鈥� and 鈥渟hort notice closures.鈥�