Black reptile houses zoo originally used in storm (8)
I believe the answer is:
blizzard
'storm' is the definition.
(blizzard is a kind of storm)
'black reptile houses zoo originally' is the wordplay.
'black' becomes 'b' (as in pencil classifications).
'reptile' becomes 'lizard' (lizard is a kind of reptile).
'houses' is an insertion indicator.
'originally' indicates taking the first letters.
The initial letter of 'zoo' is 'z'.
'lizard' enclosing 'z' is 'lizzard'.
'b'+'lizzard'='BLIZZARD'
'used in' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for blizzard that I've seen before include "Storm of wind and snow" , "Atrocious weather" , "White storm" , "Severe snowstorm with high winds" , "Blow and heavy fall" .)