Bale occasionally taking top off muscular stomach -- causing storm (8)

I believe the answer is:

blizzard

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'storm' is the definition.
(blizzard is a kind of storm)

'bale occasionally taking top off muscular stomach' is the wordplay.
'occasionally' indicates alternate letters.
'taking top off muscular stomach' becomes 'izzard' (I can't explain this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
The alternating letters of 'bale' are 'bl'.
'bl'+'izzard'='BLIZZARD'

'causing' is the link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for blizzard that I've seen before include "Atrocious weather" , "Severe snowstorm with high winds" , "awful weather" , "Blow and heavy fall" , "Storm of wind and snow" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.

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