Have you ever seen a plane fly backwards? or stalled?
Sailing stalled out (falling in an airplane) with managed projected area (twist or travel) is the key to reducing
the excess of wind power you are experiencing. Every notice how slow it is when the crew oversheets the jib,
he is depowering/STALLING the sails.

I addition to getting your weight back, pull your main traveller (& jib) near the center of the boat with
minimal twist(sheet in tight), steering ALMOST Dead Down Wind. The closer the mainsail is to the centerline
the smaller the projected sail area to the wind reducing wind force and pitchpoling. This sail configuration
puts the sail in a STALL, like an airplane falling through the air NEGATING lift.

So downwind try sheeting in the jib in the puffs to stall out the slot & negate lift.
To depower more travel in the main to reduce projected sail area.
To depower more and stall out reduce twist(sheet in)
and enter the STALLED OUT ZONE.

This usually occurs when in regatta with an approaching storm, as you noted.
My experience winds hit something above 30 kn but below 40 on a H-20, GPS said
we were 3 miles offshore, the bows stayed nice and high the whole time untill we ran out of water.

Great wind & waves,
Chris