For the first time this year, the risk of avalanches in the North Shore mountains is rated as high.

In its latest bulletins, the Canadian Avalanche Centre forecasts this level of danger in the alpine north of Vancouver for today (January 10) and Saturday (January 11).

The avalanche risk is rated as considerable in the alpine on Sunday (January 12).

"Moderate to heavy precipitations combined with rising freezing levels and strong winds will increase the avalanche danger during this coming weekend," a bulletin issued on Thursday evening (January 9) states.

The bulletin recommends staying away from "all avalanche terrain during periods of heavy loading from new snow, wind, and rain".

It also advises avoiding "exposure to overhead avalanche terrain" as "large avalanches may reach the end of run out zones".