it's easy to complain about midwest being mostly-if-not-completely in the east of the US but at least there's a historical logic in it. Continental US or the lower 48 meaning the 48 contiguous states is absolute bullshit. Alaska is on the same continent you weirdos. Lower 48 was only correct in the ~7 months between Alaska and Hawaiian statehood.
edit: I guess you could mean lower as in easterly?