No matter how dark it is at night, you can see under an oncoming squall, and if so the wind on the leading edge will be moderate. If it is black all the way to the horizon, I'll usually drop all the gear and wait out the leading edge, in which I have experienced upwards of 70 knots several times.
As we usually sail short-handed, I'll shorten sail at dusk and add more at dawn if warranted.
I don't really understand why so many people have a problem with sailing after dark, especially coastal or offshore. With a good set of (now, LED) spreader lights our decks are bright as day no matter how dark it is. I also believe one is more likely to stand a proper watch at night, whereas in the daylight it is so easy for one's attention to wander.
In a big storm, sometimes it is a relief NOT to see the big waves barrelling down on me.
But what one can occasionally see at night, like shooting stars coming down within the horizon, phosphorescence in a variety of ways (our last trip up from Trinidad was the most magical experience, with each breaking wave crest glowing bright green in the oh, so dark night), or the supernova we witnessed on our last sail south to the Caribbean, far outweighs the absence of daylight, for me.
However, I stopped fishing at night after I'd caught my third Wolf Herring, not wanting to tangle with those toothy creatures ever again!