PurposeA hybrid principal component analysis and projection onto dipole fields (PCA‐PDF) MR thermometry motion compensation algorithm was optimized with atlas image augmentation and validated.MethodsExperiments were conducted on a 3T Philips MRI and Profound V1 Sonalleve high intensity focused ultrasound (high intensity focused ultrasound system. An MR‐compatible robot was configured to induce motion on custom gelatin phantoms. Trials with periodic and sporadic motion were introduced on phantoms while hyperthermia was administered. The PCA‐PDF algorithm was augmented with a predictive atlas to better compensate for larger sporadic motion.ResultsDuring periodic motion, the temperature SD in the thermometry was improved from to C with both the original and augmented PCA‐PDF application. For large sporadic motion, the augmented atlas improved the motion compensation from the original PCA‐PDF correction from to C.ConclusionThe PCA‐PDF algorithm improved temperature accuracy to <1°C during periodic motion, but was not able to adequately address sporadic motion. By augmenting the PCA‐PDF algorithm, temperature SD during large sporadic motion was also reduced to <1°C, greatly improving the original PCA‐PDF algorithm.