Hitting the gas is hitting wallets hard in Massachusetts. In a span of a week, motorists are shelling out nearly 20 cents more per gallon, as gas prices balloon to an average of $3.56. The spike has been attributed to the switch to summer blend fuel, which is pricier but aimed to combat emissions during warmer months. The current average in the Bay State is 27 cents steeper than the price a month ago, though still 11 cents shy of the national average, which is now $3.67 a gallon, as reported by Boston 25 News.

“Drivers might be seeing red at the gas pump this week,” said Mark Schieldrop, Senior Spokesperson for AAA Northeast, in a statement obtained by CBS News Boston. Despite the hike, there might be a light at the end of the tunnel. Experts anticipate that the pace of price increases could slow as seasonal demand declines and regional gas inventories remain robust.

"It's not unusual to see a lull in demand between the end of spring breaks and Memorial Day. Regional gasoline inventories are ahead of last year's levels. And oil prices, which had been climbing since the start of the year, fell sharply last week after markets digested the latest developments in the Middle East and lackluster demand figures from China, the world's largest oil importer" Schieldrop told CBS News Boston.

While Bostonians are shelling out an average of $3.69 per gallon, inhabitants of Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard are coughing up well over $4. But, if it's any consolation, California drivers are shouldering even heftier prices, with averages soaring to $5.43 a gallon — a substantial $1.87 more than that of Massachusetts residents.