Reader Q&A: ask Ajit Niranjan anything about Europe’s hellish week of heat

Many European countries, including Germany, France, Czechia, Poland and Hungary have experienced their hottest days ever . The UK and others have suffered their hottest ever day in June. Over the past week Ajit, alongside the rest of our environment team and network of reporters, has been following this extreme heat wave as it headed east across the continent. Today, Budapest is expected to hit 40C and other parts of eastern Europe have issued red warnings for extreme heat. We have looked at how the heatwave has been used as a political football ; the best ways to stay safe in the heat and how these kind of temperatures disproportionately impact women and low-income families . Ajit will be here at 1pm BST (2pm CEST) to answer your questions –post them below the line now. ‘A sad inevitability’: after decades of climate warnings, why is Europe so unprepared for rising heat? Read more How I survived the record Paris heatwave while seven months pregnant Read more View image in fullscreen A man rests in the shade in Budapest. Temperatures in the Hungarian capital are expected to reach 40C today Photograph: Xinhua/Shutterstock