Q. “Bigger than whole states in America’s lower 48.” CMOS seems to advise lowercasing lower, but it’s also a common phrase and almost looks like, if spelled out, it should be italicized or capitalized—or both. I could use your help. Thanks.
A. Merriam-Webster lists “Lower 48” ahead of “lower 48,” and in the absence of advice in CMOS, we follow the first-listed term in M-W.