Searching for the 4.2 ka climate event at Lake Spore, Poland

•Lake sediment-derived environmental reconstruction is presented for the 4.2 ka event.•Summer temperatures and climate humidity remained stable during the event.•We found likely indication of more severe winters between 4.0 and 4.25 ka BP.•A pulse of podzolization, likely favored by winter cooling, was reported ~4.2 ka BP.•The terrestrial vegetation and the lake biota remained unaffected by the event.